The Girl-Who-Cooks
by Tuka Luna Marceau
Summary: Hildegarde 'Hilda' Potter learned how to cook at a young age. She's interested but cooking but she ensures the Dursleys never get her best. Then came Hogwarts and its vast kitchens that got her in full-throttle, disregarding society's expectations of her. And her obsession with cooking made her avert disasters in her social life, but when war happened, she has her own way to fight.
1. Chapter 1

To the Victor goes the Spoils

For a famous celebrity...

She spends far too much time in the kitchens.

The Weasley Twins who go there for snacks as does every Hufflepuff can swear they would see her cook with the house elves.

When asked, she said she wanted to be a Chef growing up so she's practicing while early so she's a shoo-in for Culinary Schools after Hogwarts. She could care less about other careers!

That sent Wizarding Britain in a tizzy when rumors spread that the local celebrity...was an oddball.

The twins who are frequent visitors are thus, her Taste-Testers and they swear on their magic she's actually good, considering they watch her cook, confirming she really DOES create her goodies.

And it showed in her grades. She only ever bothered acing Core Subjects that wasn't History of Magic, and picked up Muggle Studies and Care of Magical Creatures as Electives, but don't care for it much.

But still, her school life wasn't much eventful.

Save for the Chamber of Secrets incident where she followed voices she keeps hearing all year...and Ginny Weasley's odd behavior.

'Fred, George...have you two noticed that your sister's acting weird lately?' Hilda asked them.

'Ginny?'

'Act weird?'

They were genuinely clueless.

'I...I'm hearing voices lately and its always around the basement, dungeons and where the bathrooms are no matter what floor.' Hilda admitted. 'Its always the same. They want to kill, rip and tear someone. The first time I heard that, Mrs. Norris was petrified. Second was Colin Creevey and third, Justin Finch-Fletchley. Then I once saw your sister with bloodied robes with feathers...and Hagrid cries someone's killed his roosters.' the twins froze.

'G-Ginny's not capable of doing that!' which was Fred and George was anyone's guess, but twin-1 sputtered in protest.

'I don't want to believe what I saw which is why I'm asking if you noted any strange behavior in your sister.' said Hilda. 'Observe her for a while and avoid being out of curfew near the bathrooms...the bathrooms, and the lower floors are most dangerous outside curfew. The three victims are found on lower, but never upper floors. Which means the Chamber of Secrets is somewhere underground Hogwarts...and it can't go upper than Ground Floor.'

The twins began observing on her behalf as she doesn't like leaving the kitchens beyond classes and sleeping hours as she deems other locations in school useless to her and doesn't care for it. But more victims popped up since.

But one day, the twins saw too much.

'Hilda, Ginny's been going to Myrtle's Bathroom lately.' said one of the twins. 'She hisses something to a sink, and its actually a passageway underground!'

'She always has this black book with her too.'

'I see...I'll follow Ginny unnoticed.' said Hilda. 'If I follow her, I can hear what she's hissing for sure.'

'Are you sure?'

'Yeah. If you go upfront with her about it, she'll go defensive. We need all proof we can get before confronting her first.'

So Hilda, armed with her family's cloak took to stalking Ginny Weasley when she could with the help of the Weasley Twins who actually have a wonder-map...they memorized her patterns long enough to hide in the bathroom, covered in Hilda's cloak.

When Ginny went in and the door shut...

'...what did she say Hilda?'

'She said, ' Hilda stated 'open' but to the twins, it's hissing.

'Ginny...a Parselmouth?'

'There's no Parselmouth in our blood and we're all light-wizards...no way...just, no way!'

'What do we do?!'

Hilda knew the twins are terrified that their sister may be the Heir of Slytherin and what could possibly happen.

'Dolly!' Hilda called out as an Elf appeared. 'Dolly, we will go into the Chamber of Secrets!'

'WHAT?!' the elf squeaked. 'Missy Hilda, no!'

'We have to. We need to know what's going on.' said Hilda. 'In fifteen minutes that we're not back, call all Professors but NOT that moron Lockhart, he's useless and a moron! We need the reliable senior staff for a rescue mission incase things go shitty!'

Y-yes missy!'

Hilda repeated the parselmouth word to the snake heads in the sink to open the passage...but...

'What the hell? It's stairs to Ginny but to us it's a slide?!'

'Well, beggars can't be choosers!' Hilda swore as they slid down...and landed into a corridor full of shed snake skin.

'Eep...shed skin this large...' large and thick. An inch thick.

'Guys? Any ideas?' Hilda gulped. 'We're up against a huge snake that can gulp us in one go...what creature is this?'

'Like hell we know, its not in books that's for sure...'

'Oh great, we're up against a super-snake...for now be quiet and let's stay soundless and invisible.' they did just that to go further ahead to be able to hide...behind the large door in the corridor was a large, dark hall. They had to use Lumos and risk being discovered by Ginny but the hall was empty, and they saw a door. They hurried to the door to listen in first.

'Well?'

'I hear nothing...'

'Hilda?'

'...gulp...what's a Basilisk?' behind her, the twins went white.

'Oh. my. god.'

'Ginny's talking to a Basilisk?'

'Its not her anymore...its a young man talking.' said Hilda. 'Ginny's with a young man around your age.'

'What?!'

'And he put the Basilisk away...when I say go, now's our chance.' Fred and George nodded as Hilda pressed her ears against the door...

'...how come we don't hear a thing but hisses but you could understand Hilda?'

'Beats me! That man...is saying that Ginny's useful. The seventh child of a pureblood family rich in power she's a wonderful sacrifice to his revival...'

'LIKE HELL?!' the twins roared in rage as they barged in.

'H-hey?!'

Beyond the Chamber was a collapsed Ginny and not far from her was a black book...and a young man in outdated Slytherin Robes. He was handsome, sure, but his eyes says it all, that he's...dangerous.

'Alright you wanker, what have you done to our sister?!'

xxx

Fifteen minutes passed by then, that Dolly called all Professors and told them what Hilda and the twins have discovered and are up to and what they talked about in the kitchens as all elves have known for days...that they rushed to the Chamber that was still open.

'Merlin's Beard, Ginny Weasley, a Parselmouth!' McGonagall choked. 'What will Molly and Arthur say?!'

'Worry about that later, we have students to rescue!' Flitwick snapped as they burst past the Chambers to see a blinded Basilisk thrashing about and a young man hissing at the creature while casting Killing Curses at the trio of students, and Ginny Weasley unconscious.

'Potter! Weasleys!' Professor Vector cried.

'Professors, that guy is a spirit of that Black Book!' Hilda cried. 'He's leeching off Ginny's magic, watch out! He's the Heir of Slytherin possessing Ginny!'

'So...it's you after all, Tom.' said Dumbledore with hard eyes.

'Oh, hello Professor.' said Tom with a cold smile. 'Its befitting that I am invincible at my current stage...I can kill both you and the Girl-Who-Lived while you can't even scratch me!'

'I think not!' one of the twins cried as the twins pulled a risky maneuver with the book and had the Basilisk bite it while the other twin conjured a sword and stabbed it hard on the head.

'NO!' Tom cried as his form was rapidly being destroyed, and the Basilisk falling to it's death with a loud 'THUD'.

'You two morons! You could have been snake food!' Hilda freaked out hysterically, running towards the twins and shaking both hard worriedly.

'ALL three of you would have been snake food!' McGonagall cried. 'What were you three thinking?!'

'Well...its all we got, mate.' said the twins. 'We tried everything on that book but no scratch. And we felt only two things might work...'

'Only two things?' Snape demanded.

'The Killing Curse or the Basilisk...but we can't cast it, we'd be in prison just for casting that, so...'

'Its indeed a risky, but good idea my boys...just...don't do that again.' Dumbledore sighed, hand on his chest. 'That's not good for our hearts...and we want the full details as soon as we get you kids to the Infirmary. Poppy, how's Miss. Weasley?'

'Very magically-drained Albus.' said Madam Pomfrey grimly. 'But when that boy was gone, her stolen magic returned like a flash flood, causing great strain to her body and magic, she'll need a few days in the Infirmary.'

And so...

Hilda told her share of the tale and the twins' denial so they investigated and saw it plain as day, before they decided to do their stalking mission today and got more than what they bargained for...and Tom Marvolo Riddle turned out to be a half-blood who became Voldemort...

The twins gave their side of the story for stalking their sister for days.

'But why Ginny?' Fred croaked out.

'Voldemort said it didn't he? Ginny's the seventh child of a pureblood line.' Hilda scowled. 'Wanker says she's a befitting sacrifice for his return. What an arrogant melodramatic poser!'

'Actually Miss. Potter, in Arithmancy Seven is the most powerful magical number...if one did rituals with magic, most witches and wizards will surely ensure that there's that number in the whole process for more magical boosting and support.' said Professor Vector darkly. 'Poor Miss. Weasley would surely die and revive him with her formidable powers.' the teenagers gulped.

'Didn't know that...'

'Oh hell, how do we tell mum and dad that?'

'Well...on the bright side, you two can sell that Basilisk for a hefty sum since its your kill.' Hilda pointed out. 'There's a crap-ton of snake skin in there, fangs, bones and venom for potions maniacs, and goblins might want the hide and meat, you'd get a killing.'

'Really?!'

'Really.' Hilda nodded. 'You'd get millions easily and the ironic part was, voldie-puss unwittingly made you guys rich.' she cackled. 'Ain't this a kick in the balls!'

'Miss. Potter, language!' McGonagall chided.

'It seems we have arrangements to make.' Dumbledore smiled. 'I recall you boys have a brother working for Gringotts? And I have your parents to call as well.'

xxx

Headmaster's Office...

'Well, this case is solved permanently.' Dumbledore mused. 'Solved by three reckless children.'

'They're lucky, really lucky.' Professor Burbage shivered. 'Good thing they thought of having a House Elf call for us or we wouldn't make it in time. That beast is huge! And under control of the Dark Lord no less!'

'I see the irony that he's a half-blood for all his posturing and promoting bloodline supremacy.' Professor Sinistra snarked. 'He really is a poser.'

'But a dangerous one.' said Dumbledore, shaking his head. 'It opened sixty years ago back when he was a student here and I, Transfiguration Teacher at the time. He placed the blame on poor Hagrid and his pet Acromantula but while that's obviously impossible, as you know, the Ministry...must be seen doing something...and injustice was wrought.' he said grimly. 'He was skilled at committing crimes and making someone else pay for it. And the problem now is how did young Miss. Weasley get that black book?'

'Well, we can't ask her now, we can only ask her when she wakes.' said Sprout. 'But her wand contains records of the Killing Curse...'

'We will snap that wand, burn it, and tell Ollivander of the circumstances.' said Dumbledore. 'We must keep this secret for her sake as Cornelius will surely make the poor child pay for what she did not do, for the Ministry must be seen doing something.'

'I'm starting to hate that phrase.' Snape scowled. His fellow professors looked in utter distaste as well.

'Don't we all...but alas, politics and the need to look good for good ratings to be re-elected.' Dumbledore shook his head in disapproval. 'We must do this carefully for the children.'

'Its clear who's the Parselmouth though.' said Snape. 'The twins hear hisses but Potter hears words instead.'

'There's that too.' said Dumbledore. 'She doesn't know...or realize her ability.'

'She really doesn't know much about our world.' said McGonagall. 'Her ambition is to become a first-rate Chef she's in the kitchens most of her spare time. The twins and Hufflepuff swear she's always there she may as well sleep there. She never once showed interest in our culture beyond manners and that's it. That could bite her back one day. I'll have to talk to that girl about this. She cannot be socially-inept about our culture!' she bit out tersely, doing a huffy armfold.

'I leave that to you, as her Head of House.' said Dumbledore. 'I have to pick up Ollivander and the parents. Keep this situation a secret as much as possible.'

xxx

And so, Bill Weasley came with a team of Goblins late at night, with Hilda having to assist as she knows how to open the Chamber. As its a victory kill by the Weasley Twins, they indeed, have free reign over what to do with it. So on Hilda's advice, they sold it to Gringotts instead, the whole thing, though they're not interested in the sheddings that Snape took.

That monster cost 20 million Galleons due to its size and age, hence a powerful and just-as-valuable creature. A small fortune the twins poured into the family accounts but kept 30% to themselves and set up a separate vault just for them.

'This is more than enough to open our dream shop!' they said, which was why they were fine with pouring the rest into their family account.

While the rest of the family went pale in horror at what happened to their youngest and what the twins and the resident celebrity had done, they also paled in shock at how much the twins earned for selling their kill on Hilda's suggestion due to rules as it was them who killed the fabled monster and not her with the teachers as witnesses. They were in utter disbelief.

While they were glad Ginny's safe, they were also glad that they got something out of it at least!


	2. Aftermath of the Chamber

Aftermath of the Chamber

It was thus a kept secret of what happened.

The whole school bar those in the know, were made to forget the whole thing when the petrified students were revived.

When Ginny recovered, she revealed she found the book in her cauldron after going home...implying someone slipped it in her things. She honestly thought it was a freebie from the shop and it was a 'talking diary'.

At first she thought of it as a friend up when the blackouts began happening and finding herself in places she doesn't remember going to...she was getting scared and tried to get rid of it but next morning, it was right beside her head in her bed! Always! And the blackouts happen more and more...and next thing she knew, she was in the infirmary.

She was diagnosed with Possession. And considering the Dark Lord was trying to revive himself through her, he was in fact, wearing her body until he has enough magic to reincarnate.

Someone deliberately targeted her, knowing her powers that got the family freaked out.

'Mum was in hysterics.' said Fred. 'She was of the mind to Home-School Ginny for the rest of her life or send her to another school.'

'I honestly think its safer for her that way...knowing that your country's most-feared terrorist tried to consume you to revive himself in a school deemed to be safest of all things...it makes sense that he can do this, Voldemort used to be a student here himself.' said Hilda darkly. 'But what he can't get into, are schools whose security he's not familiar with.'

'That'd mean Ilvermorny. We're too poor until recently to afford Foreign Language Lessons so another English-Speaking school it is.' said George. 'Well, mum, dad, Bill and Charlie are talking about it at home and corresponding with the Headmaster for a Transfer. But considering she was possessed most of our year under our noses, that'd mean he's attending first year classes all over again to keep up the ruse.'

'That's true.' said Fred. 'But will it make a difference there?'

'It should be.' said Hilda with a smirk. 'You know guys? I'll tell you something neat.' she said as the twins perked up. 'I've had my kitchen buddies help me out gather information about the schools and ministries worldwide. And by far, the countries with the strongest Auror Forces are in Japan, China, India, and America. They apparently swear foolproof loopholes upon entering into service to solidify their integrity and actually do their damn jobs unlike our Ministry. If Ginny is to go to Ilvermorny...she is very safe there. As safe as gold in a Gringotts Vault.'

'A-are you sure?'

'Yup. If the Asian Countries have a strong fighting force due to their ancient warrior culture and sense of chivalry and honor, America adopted and adapted modern muggle techniques and made it their own by making magical versions of it and tweaking it to be better.' she took out a book called 'MACUSA Fighting Force'. 'This should give you a clue. Britain isn't safe as long as the pro-pureblood government's stupid or corrupt. And if things don't change, I'm jumping ship myself.'

'Huh? You're not staying?' George croaked out.

'Why should I? Magical Britain is slowly cutting its own head off. Its a dying society through stagnation.' Hilda shrugged. 'So when I graduate, I'm going abroad. Why do you think I don't bother to know magical culture of Britain anyway? Its killing itself. People shouldn't live in a dying culture killed by its own people. I have a feeling your older brothers saw this too so they packed up and left.'

'They would have said something.' said Fred.

'They can't. The adults are so set in their ways. Its like 'deal with it or sucks to be you, its our way or nothing'.' Hilda quipped. 'We kids explore our world and see possibilities, unless you're indoctrinated at a young age, becoming just another parrot of your elders. Your brothers defied fate, Percy became a Rule Parrot, your youngest brother is a slacker and you guys just want to have fun and laugh. Its often a simple, but the most meaningful goal people take for granted. And since you guys are happy with the way you are, you're the most fulfilled.'

'What do you mean?' Fred asked, baffled.

'They say if you're content with life, you're richer than you thought you are. A muggle wise-man saying. And if you kept wanting more in never-ending desire, you're actually poor even if you live in a castle.'

'That's a rather weird way of thinking Hilda.' said George thoughtfully. 'So what about you? Are you rich?'

Hilda gave them a rue smile.

'I'm poor actually...I want freedom and I don't have it and I keep wanting it. Until I'm free, I'm poor.'

xxx

'So what's it like being friends with Kitchen Potter?' Lee asked them. Their friend in pranks and mischief, when they weren't Taste-Testing.

'Well, we never thought we'd get into one hell of an adventure after almost two years of Taste-Testing for her, mate.' said Fred. 'Nice girl though. She's as serious as we are in opening a Joke Shop.'

'A Chef huh?'

'Yes. Apparently in the Muggle World, being a Chef pays high the more reputation you get, that Chefs these days live in mansions too just for cooking.' said George. 'Muggles sure have it easier in careers!'

'Oh...but she's the girl-who-lived, she can be anything...' Lee frowned.

'Well, its what she wants in life. Besides, she's a dang good cook! She knows many fancy stuff too its like eating in an expensive restaurant for free and to think we're her Testers!' Fred grinned.

'Bloody hell, you get to eat for free just for testing?!' Lee squawked incredulously.

'Yeah, we have to give critique though and she asked us to be dang blunt and honest, and pays us 3 Galleons a day.' said Fred.

'Yeah, we started two years ago in November! Holidays not included.'

Lee did the Math in his Head.

28 days of Christmas and Easter combined plus Summer Vacation. And the twins started at November, 3 a pop each head. So let's make it 6 a day...so on Hilda's first year, they raked 681 per head in a whole school year! That's pocket money for Hogsmeade!

'WHAT?! How soon do I sign up?!'

xxx

'Humm, another Tester huh? Only three people I can handle so don't advertise what I'm doing OK?' Hilda told the boys.

'Yeeees!'

xxx

At the end of the year, Hilda got called to McGonagall's Office.

'How have you been since that...adventure, Miss. Potter?'

'A little shaken no thanks to those two nutjobs but OK in the end I guess.' Hilda sighed. 'Back to business as usual after that.' McGonagall pursed her lips stiffly as her nostrils flared in reminder, recalling what the boys just did back then.

'I hear you pay them 6 galleons a day for taste-testing for you?'

'Yeah. They're at least honest with Critique, considering I really sucked at first. If you get past the jokers, you get a pair of sharp-tongued jerks which is what I hired them for.' said Hilda. 'Self-Study can only get you so far but nobody in the Wizarding World is a Licensed Chef, and I mean the Professional, money-raking ones, can teach me here, not ones working in pubs and taverns!' she huffed in an armfold. 'Chefs in the Muggle World earn millions if they get acknowledged at least, nationwide by the media after graduating Cooking School...'

'Hmmm...can I try your cooking for one day?'

'Appetizer, Soup, Fish, Meat, Main Dish, Salad or Dessert or Full Course?'

'Full Course.'

'I guess you'll have an early lunch in the kitchens before the train sends us home.'

'Mm. And what will you choose for your Electives?'

'Muggle Studies and Care of Magical Creatures.'

'Er, you live with your Muggle Relatives?' McGonagall pointed out. Hilda's expression turned utterly empty and flat.

'I actually don't know squat beyond how muggles do their school or do chores.' said Hilda flatly. 'I'm not allowed any freedom or human rights there. Oh, I'm their live-in maid too who's never paid I might add. So how can I know how muggles live?'

'WHAT?!' McGonagall shrieked, red-faced in anger. 'Elaborate!'

xxx

Dumbledore listened to the angry harangue of his Deputy Headmistress who just finished talking to Hilda about her life with the Dursleys...that Hilda just considers them pathetic excuses of monsters pretending to be humans and never her family, just forced to put up with them by the Headmaster against her will. Since he was never interested in her well-being, why should she care anymore about what he wants?

She could care less about the world! This cannot happen!

He looked at his devices on the walls that crackled, whirred...and blew up in smoke while McGonagall yelled at him.

'Now what are those things?!'

xxx

Unknown to the person involved, Hilda has been shopping for ingredients with House Elf help in Muggle London after exchanging money. Sure she lacked tools, but magic more than made up for it. Besides, one day, she can learn to use those tools, right? She'll go muggle after all. The House Elf makes her unnoticeable to everyone but the Cashier, and upon leaving, makes her bags weightless until she gets into an alley to appear back at Hogwarts.

Upon getting what she needed, she began cooking the final meal of the day as the final day is all about packing for home anyway and waiting for the last of your laundry from the elves.

Soon, her Taste Testers are here with a Special Guest.

'Whoa! Professor!'

'Well, I want to taste at least once, since she made her career choices clear boys.' said McGonagall with a smile but strangely red-faced.

'Well, I just finished the prepwork...now I can get working for real.' said Hilda.

''Prepwork'?'

'She means removing unwanted parts like peels and roots, and washing them.' said Lee. 'She always does everything in front of us, like to prove she did it.'

'Yeah, and she's a better cook than mum was.' said Fred.

'Ah...' now she has to see this for herself!

Indeed, it began.

First, the preparation of things like seeds. Some she crushed, some she didn't, and began tossing them in the pan to cook them...and when it cooked, it let out quite the aroma. She set some aside but some...she used immediately.

'She always makes sauces first.' said George. 'Because they have to be cooled down a bit before using them on food.'

'Oh...'

When the sauces are done, it was the desserts next!

It seems things that take the longest to make, she does first.

Until finally...

Come lunch time, a Full-Course Meal is made for all four people.

Its all. gorgeous. Picturesque.

McGonagall swore she'd put this in Pensieve.

"Oh Lily, James, your daughter's a wonderful talent! I wonder what else can she do..."

Indeed, its like eating in a fancy restaurant for free! This is just wonderful!

'By the way, a set course meal like this in a restaurant would cost 16 Galleons and 16 Sickles(80 pounds).' Hilda would tell them, making them choke in horror, 'I DID tell you being a Chef is profitable...if I live in the Muggle World with over a hundred meals to cook, my salary in a day would cost more than how much the Minister would Earn in a month!'

'WHAAAAT?!'

'Actually, she'd earn more, but the expenses of running and maintaining a restaurant and buying goods to cook, plus employee wages would really make her spend so much her actual earnings would be about 5 times more than what Fudge will make in a month.' said George. 'Oh, she always tells us how much that meal we ate in a day would cost...'

'And to think we're eating Leaky Cauldron prices months ago too.' said Fred.

'Yeah, I'm good enough for a 1-Star Restaurant now...' Hilda gasped out. 'The remaining two stars will be tougher!'

But her last day isn't so quiet.

'HILDA!' Lee yelled. 'You'll never guess what happened!'

'What?'

'It's Lockhart! The moron tried to get students into the Forbidden Forest for a grand adventure as he puts it, but they got caught by the Centaurs and trampled him over and over! Apparently he's on a heist mission and tried to use a couple firsties as patsies, Dumbledore's furious!'

'Well, he reaps what he's sown.' said Hilda coldly. 'An idiotic incompetent teacher and now this?'

'No kidding man, poor firsties didn't know. The House Heads are roaring for blood.' Lee shook his head. 'Well, good riddance to him.'

xxx

Hilda didn't go to the Dursleys. Instead as she usually sits with her Testers, they helped her leave without being noticed.

She goes to stay in an apartment instead in Muggle London, preparing herself for puberty.

She had studied how to influence her body to have more womanly charm after all. But considering what she eats every day lately instead of Feast Food...she ensured she WILL grow up with her charms, along with taking daily doses of Potions from Madam Pomfrey to start it all with, when she was twelve.

'Hmm...time to shop for new clothes and underwear now.' she mused as from the short-stack she once was in her first year...she finally caught up, and is taller than her female classmates 'by a head' and starting to get some shape.

For now, she won't cook in the summer.

She'll do nothing but squats and push-ups, and eat and eat through carefully-chosen foods, and potions.

When she saw the results, she grew to like it and began her shopping.

Like hell she'll depend on clothes in Diagon Alley! They have no fashion imagination whatsoever!


	3. Reasonable Figure

Reasonable Figure

That summer...

Was chaos in Wizarding Britain and Hilda only found out when Errol flew into her apartment.

 **Hey Hilda!**

 **You're living alone in a hopefully safe place, right?**  
 **You see, Sirius Black escaped from Azkaban and**  
 **he's after you! He's apparently the guy who sold**  
 **your parents to you-know-who and his right-hand**  
 **man. Mum went hysterical when she got wind you**  
 **live alone so expect the Ministry in your doorstep,**  
 **wherever heck you are in Muggle London. Watch**  
 **out, mate! We heard all adults are looking for you!**

 **On another note, mum went on a shopping spree**  
 **after we got millions off that Basilisk. New clothes,**  
 **new shoes, new everything we still have so much**  
 **left over, mum spent a total of 60000 Galleons on**  
 **everything. Well, after years of old things and hand**  
 **-me-downs, seeing new stuff AND wearing them is**  
 **overwhelming. Thing is, we don't know how to dress**  
 **Ginny and mum's idea of fashion...she'll be laughed**  
 **at in America and we've seen what girls like to wear.**

 **HELP PLEASE. We've already done our shopping. It's  
her turn next.**

 **F &W**

'Oh boy...' Hilda sighed and shuddered. She's seen what local witches wear as opposed to muggleborns. She gave Errol pieces of thawed raw beef off her counter which the owl took gratefully. 'You have one hour break before I send my reply alright? Get some rest here.'

'Hoot!'

She proceeded with her routine exercises, and then prepared a bowl of chilly water, and still more slices of raw beef for the elderly owl to snack on while she penned a letter.

 **Hey Jokers,**

 **Send me newspapers about the matter. And I got a feeling**  
 **your trusty map will help me out this year so lend it to me**  
 **for one whole year until all things smooth out and we'll be**  
 **up for another shenanigan no doubt. Have your mum come**  
 **with Ginny, and prepare a budget of 60000 muggle money,**  
 **exchange it in Gringotts. Shoes in muggle London is kinda**  
 **pricier than a shirt or dress and LIKE HELL I'll buy clothes**  
 **in Diagon Alley, so outdated! Time for a modern-date touch!**  
 **Tomorrow at 10 am as stores open at that time.**

 **Hilda**

xxx

Weasley Home, the Burrow...

Errol returned home with his letter and flew by his usual porch in the kitchen, which means, Molly would usually get it first.

'Fred! George!' Molly Weasley yelled, 'You could have told me you'll send Hilda a letter! We could have put a tracking charm on it!' she cried, giving the twins their letter.

'Hilda won't appreciate that, mum, she's a really private person.' said Fred.

'Yeah, she hexed Colin Creevey so bad for taking photos of her without permission and cursed his camera.' said George.

'Oh I remember that one, I had to undo it.' Percy grunted. 'The Camera would electrocute anyone who touches I had to hold it with a pair of tongs to sort it out!'

'But its a dangerous time this year!' Molly insisted. 'We need to watch out for her.'

'Do that, and she'll go chilly and her being chilly at anyone is a bad sign.' said George. 'Chilly as in look at you like you're a slug and she's usually a nice girl. She looks at Creevey like he just streaked in public and never forgave him.' he said as Fred opened the letter. 'What's it say?'

'She's asking for newspapers involving Sirius Black, and meet her outside Leaky Cauldron with a shopping budget of 6000 muggle money.' said Fred. 'For a year's worth of girl's closet.'

'6000 pounds...that'd be about 1203 Galleons.' Percy computed, going white and looking ill. 'Our clothes didn't cost _that_ much! Just where on earth does that girl shop?'

'Well, muggle London.' said Fred. 'She says she thinks magic fashions are outdated, she goes for modern and up-to-date trends.' he said. 'And shirts and dresses are fairer in pricing than shoes and we're shopping for a whole closet.'

'You can't be serious, girls' clothes can't be that pricey!' Ron sputtered out.

'Well, we won't know till we went.' said Molly. 'When will we meet her?'

'Tomorrow outside the Cauldron at ten am!'

And so...

Hilda came, dressed in a white shirt with mickey mouse print and denim shorts with denim suspenders, and strappy sandals. On her head is a cap and her hair in a ponytail. They can't tell it was her at first, until she spoke up.

'Yo, jokers!' she greeted. The twins, knowing how she usually refers to them turned to look at her as one.

'Hilda?!'

'We didn't recognize you!'

'That's the _point_. I'm being hunted, remember?' Hilda deadpanned, armfolding in amusement. 'So we can shop in peace! I hope you're used to walking around boys because we girls never crash during shopping...and its a loooot of walking while taking public transport in between.' she smiled sinisterly. 'Hope you're up for the challenge!'

'Jeez, you make it sound like a bad thing!' Ron cried, affronted.

'Welcome to reality so if you ever have a girlfriend, you know Female Shopping Hell. Let's go!'

Indeed, it's a lot of walking!

Hilda took them to many shops, just for a few pieces of clothes for all four seasons and teaching Ginny color and style-coordinating, picking colors that would go well with Weasley Colors and styles girls her age should wear...depending on her personality, that is so she asked Ginny what she wants in garments be it shirts or tank tops or the like. Carnaby Street and Westfield are apparently, places Hilda favors for clothes as its 'cost-friendly' they could buy a whole wardrobe for girls there, shoes for all seasons included. But when it comes to formal wear...she showed them classy boutiques they can buy off from. They only looked while under notice-me-nots just to get ideas.

'Possibilities are endless, trends always change like women's mood-swings!' Hilda would say as they left a store. 'Muggles hate being outdated the most particularly in clothes and machines. If popular magazines say this is the trend, expect almost the whole world to follow. The ones who decides what's In in fashion are Fashion Designers.'

'By the way Hilda...' Molly began.

'Hm?'

'Why are you wearing short trousers?' Molly asked about her shorts. 'Not to mention the skirts you picked are so short!'

'That's what teenage girls wear these days. Even american witches do.' Hilda shrugged. 'Diagon Alley's idea of fashion for even girls my age makes us look older than we should, we'd really be laughed at out here. Oh hell no.' she cringed. 'Try going to America for Summer and watch how folks there roll. Ginny, if you'll go to you-know-where, study your peers.' Hilda advised. 'And do as the Romans do. Learn their culture and adapt so you won't offend anybody and make a social pariah of yourself. And I should warn you now...never tell anyone you're a British Pureblood.'

'Huh? Why?' Ginny asked, perplexed.

'They look down on British Wizardfolk. We're laughingstocks overseas.'

'What?!' the family cried, affronted, but Hilda continued as if there's no interruption.

'-If people will know you're British, just tell them you're muggleborn and space ran out for you. It's safer for you that way...and then you'll hear what people there have to say and you'll understand. They'll at least, congratulate you for not getting into Hogwarts.' said Hilda grimly. 'And no matter how hard since you grew up in it, do NOT defend Magical Britain as you're posing as a muggleborn and after that, think on why they feel that way towards us. I visited Magical America last week to scope out the culture...and they got a dang good reason to mock us. Spend a day in their shopping alley and compare the place to Diagon Alley, and everything else. Oh, buy cultural books too but be discreet and give nothing away.'

'I think we need that trip just to know how Ginny will fare in Ilvermorny.' Molly decided stiffly. 'But dear, about Sirius Black...'

'Meh, I got nothing to worry about. I live near a Police Station, just three minutes away from my flat! They can start shooting to drive him off!' said Hilda confidently. 'Well, time for a very late lunch, it's three in the afternoon now, we've done our shopping mission.'

They ate out in a fancy restaurant, her treat, before parting ways just for the sake of showing them what type of place she wanted to open one day. A. really. classy place that got the family gawking.

Minutes later, a pair of disillusioned aurors who tracked the shopping trip tracked down the flat she stays in and informed the DMLE. Though they wondered just how Magical America looks at them that Hilda warned the family, and why would their youngest go to Ilvermorny and not Hogwarts?

xxx

'...you overheard Hilda say that huh?' Arthur Weasley sighed as Amelia and the Aurors paid his office a visit after shooing Perkins out due to confidentiality. 'Ginny was a very unlucky target she nearly died.' he said morosely. 'Hilda and my twins noticed her acting oddly throughout the school year, and she was under Imperius for so long, controlled by a dark wizard whose face my twins didn't know since all Death Eaters are publicized faces.' he choked out. 'He was working on a revitalizing ritual in the school grounds in the forest. He was very old he wanted his youth back, and targeted a 'random girl as long as she's virgin' and Ginny caught his eye. The kids fought him off until the teachers came, but he managed to escape. They didn't chase him because Ginny was dying. Her life was priority.'

'So you decided that incase that man comes back, you'll take Ginny overseas?' Amelia asked him.

'Yes. I'm not taking chances.' Arthur scowled before looking pained. 'She's our only girl! Molly refused to stop being pregnant till we got a girl even if Ron's birth was hard on her. If Ginny's gone it'd destroy us both. But I didn't know Magical America looks down on us...I think we need that family trip to determine why so Ginny can safely go to school there and not out herself and be laughed at. Its the only other english-speaking school, she can't go anywhere else!'

Amelia looked thoughtful. 'The situation is understandable Arthur but I need we need to talk more about this before you go on that Cultural Trip. But I for one, want to know why I'm being looked down on just for being a British Magical that's the fault of the traditionalists in the first place.' she huffed irately. 'I do not suffer fools and I certainly don't want to be looked at like a fool when I'm anything _but_.'

'Very well. It's still early August and Albus' already arranged transfer papers so it's all set, we got plenty of time.' said Arthur. 'American Schools start in August 30, we'd better hurry and brush up on intel so Ginny can blend in.'

xxx

And so...

Come dinnertime, Hilda got a guest. Amelia Bones herself and some Aurors...and they smelled an aromatic scent that got them drooling.

'...nice smelling house.'

'Oh, that's my kitchen, sorry.' said Hilda as she let them in. 'So what do authorities want with me?' she asked. 'Sit in the living room, I'll turn my stove off.' and she ran off.

'You know boss, muggles sure have it better in accommodations.' one Auror said as they looked around as they walked in, 'I'd want a flat like this myself.'

'But still, how can she live alone?' Amelia frowned. 'How on earth does she manage?'

'Well, she clearly cooks her own food...' they went to the kitchen to see the counters lined up with...delectable goodies, and a pile of used-up tools in the sink.

'...you eat a lot for sure.'

'Nah, they're all in small portions.' said Hilda with a shrug. 'Its a full-course meal after all so I won't overeat. I was making my sauce for my steak last when you rang the doorbell.'

Their eyes fell on that inch-thick steak grilled to perfection, with diced carrots and peas, and mashed potatoes on the side.

Sauce on steak! That fragrant sauce on that saucepan?! Merlin!

'Well, I better get some tea ready. I'd use magic but I can't every summer so I do things manually around here.' she said, going for the dish cabinet to take out teacups, and grabbed a thermos to pour out...coffee? Wait, doesn't smell like one, reminding them of how her saucepan smells...but the authorities took them anyway.

'...what's this?'

'Its a new fad in tea culture lately called Chai. It's black tea mixed with spices and milk.' said Hilda. 'It's a much better wake-up drink during the day but I don't drink it at this hour or I'll have trouble sleeping but I bet you office folk would need it.'

'Much obliged.' said Amelia appreciatively. Not like a kid would drug them anyway. 'So Miss. Potter, the Weasleys have warned you of our...Black Situation.'

'Yes. It still hasn't sink in yet that some guy escaped prison supposedly to come after me.' Hilda sighed. 'Given my rather unwanted reputation, I picked an apartment nearest the station. However, I can't bring myself to give a damn either for some reason. I feel like I really don't care one bit when anyone in my shoes would freak out.'

'That's worrying, when you have a murderer on the loose after you.'

'Isn't it? Well, you seem reasonable and actually have a brain unlike Fudge so at least I feel I can trust you as an official.' Amelia and her escorts choked in their chai. 'I've lost faith in the Ministry ever since the Chamber of Secrets fiasco.'

'Oh hell, and as Minister he represents us as a whole...!' Amelia growled before face-palming. And understandably, as the face of the Ministry, they would be painted in the same brush as he and it's clear when the girl gave her opinion. 'Can you elaborate what he's done last year?'

'Well, I was teaching Hagrid how to cook at first...' she told them how Hagrid was arrested because of his supposed history and '...he said the Ministry 'must be seen doing something'.' she sneered. 'Fact one: Slytherin spouts Pureblood Propaganda and Hagrid is a Half-Giant so he's NOT the Heir of Slytherin. Fact two: he owns an Acromantula and Acromantulas can't Petrify! Moreover no traces of bite marks on victims or poison so its not the monster. An innocent person is expelled from Hogwarts by a lying bastard, Tom Marvolo Riddle 50 years ago who got rewards for special services when he got Hagrid falsely blamed and expelled. You might want to ask Moaning Myrtle, she can testify for Hagrid that he wasn't her killer. Based on the stupidity of 50 years ago, Fudge based his charges there and ahem, the Ministry must be seen doing something even if what he's doing is utterly stupid not to mention criminal to send a person to prison on wrong charges AND without trial!'

'I see...I'll have a word with Hagrid and Moaning Myrtle about the matter. She was in school during my time too.' Amelia mused. 'This time, with Veritaserum. While Hagrid is indeed innocent, its still illegal to own an Acromantula as a pet for obvious reasons. But I believe he is punished enough, wrongly and disproportionately I might add.'

'Well, his idea of cute and cuddly is 'run like hell and don't look back' to us.' Hilda snorted. 'His taste is...unique.' she stated with a cringe. 'Where he got his idea about pets, he really shouldn't have gotten ideas there.'

'Back to Black...'

'Ah, the twins will lend me something nice soon.' Hilda piped up. 'Their enchanted map of Hogwarts I borrowed from them so I'd know who's near me any time without having to step out of the room.'

'A map?' Amelia asked, intrigued.

'Yeah. It's theirs and on loan for one year. And everyone knows I'm always in the kitchens working hard on my cooking skills and if he's around, I can have a House Elf call for help so I'm confident about this one. I won't get into trouble.'

'I sure hope so but why on earth are you living alone?'

'Orphan.' the adults winced.

'But you have relatives?'

'They're no family of mine, they're monsters pretending to be human.' said Hilda coldly. 'I pretty much told McGonagall my childhood when I said like hell I'll go back. I'd sooner face Hagrid's very-adult spider in a death match than go back.'


	4. A Fated Meeting

A Fated Meeting

Still summer...

Hilda continued her routine of eat and medication and shopping for her needs.

Business as usual for her.

But one day, at the Wet Market, she was about to get a fish when she felt a hand on hers. 'Huh?' and she turned to look at the owner, it was an older asian boy who squawked and took his hand back like he held a poker.

'Ooh, touching a girl's hand already?' a teasing asian man grinned. 'But hey, you got good taste!' the boy went red. Hilda just looked puzzled.

'No! Joichiro-baka, I was gonna take the fish but she got it first!' the boy sputtered.

'...you're a weird boy.' she said. 'Boys normally don't care for this stuff.'

'Right back at you.' the boy said wryly.

'Well, I have to be here, I cook for myself, nobody to do it for me.' Hilda deadpanned.

'Ah...' the two can clearly guess what she implied and looked awkward.

'So any good in cooking kiddo? This guy is doing well.' Joichiro grinned, jovially patting the boy's back.

'I like to hope so. I wanted to open a restaurant one day, a real money-spinner!' Hilda chimed. 'But I need a critic so I'd know how I'm doing but while I have reliable school friends, there's the difference between friends' and an actual pro's tongue.'

'Heee...then will you try cooking for us young lady?' Joichiro grinned. 'I assure you, this kid and I are seasoned pros. So what's your specialty?'

'Crossbreed of French Cuisine and Molecular Gastronomy but I can only do the basics on the latter since I'm not THAT rich to afford other equipment...those machines are expensive.' Joichiro shuddered. Its understandable the kid has cheap toys.

'Yeah, those tools are heinously expensive I'd be broke flat if I tried.' he shuddered. 'But still, you can never take girls from art.'

'Yup.' Hilda smiled. 'So...Joichiro-baka was it? What a long name, it's quite a mouthful.'

Joichiro choked.

The boy burst out laughing.

'Pffft-fuhahaha!' he wheezed in laughter that got Hilda more puzzled.

'My _name_ despite what this moron _says_ ,' Joichiro bopped the boy on the head. 'Is Joichiro Saiba.'

'Er, where'd the 'baka' come from?'

'Japanese word for 'idiot'!' the boy quipped happily, earning him another bop. 'I'm Asahi! Nice to meet'cha!'

'I'm Hilda Potter.' Hilda smiled. 'Sooo will you guys taste-test for me?'

'Sure so we'd know where you stand!' Asahi grinned. 'I'd like to see how you work!'

And so...for two hidden Aurors, they watched the whole conversation and the whole shopping spree...before going ahead to her apartment to lie in wait.

But working on bodyguard duty, was damn torture as they complained to Madam Bones.

Her cooking was so good by smell alone it's just torture being near the food she makes! And the end products always look so delectable but they can't even touch it!

When Hilda and the two foreigners got back, Hilda proceeded to cook.

xxx

Joichiro and Asahi watched how Hilda works.

But for Joichiro's trained eye, she knows how to fully-use her wares. On a level which he knew, was amazing for her age that she was better than Asahi as he is now. The only things Asahi exceeded her in, was unconventional preparation, and speedy knifework. She was painfully slow as expected of a self-learned cook.

When she was cooking, her knowledge of ingredients shows.

'You always cook a Nine Course Meal eh? Pretty fancy of you Hilda, you'd do well in your future restaurant.' Joichiro grinned. 'Now, let's taste your work.' he and Asahi shared the first dish, Amuse-Guele which was enough for a mouthful that Hilda made two for them. "Well, she'd really shine in my old school." he thought as both were blown away by the first dish alone.

"Holy cow! What flavor...and what texture! It's so sensual but packing a wallop of punch!" Asahi choked out.

'Hilda, you really like herbs and spices in your cooking huh?' Joichiro noted.

'Yeah, I may go for art, but I also emphasize on aroma and savoriness too.' said Hilda. 'What most people tend to forget food isn't just salty, bitter, sweet and sour. Food isn't food without savoriness and I get my savoriness by knowing how ingredients work at their best with a little adjustment. Herbs and spices help me out since I lean on health aspects too...and a little something.'

'Mm! Wait...a little something?'

'Yeah. What do you know of Yin and Yang Joichiro?'

'Yin and Yang...as far as I know it's that chinese weird round symbol of black and white with a little of both in each side.' said Joichiro. 'What of it?'

'Those two words have many meanings if you cracked open a book, but I lean onto the gender aspect. Yin is feminine, and calm energy while Yang is masculine and active energy. Using that knowledge and knowledge of the human body, particularly how hormones work, I cook foods that boost Estrogen Hormones in the body to make eaters grow more feminine and it works best in puberty, but little effect on adulthood.' she explained. 'I also looked at adults around me. Everyone is mostly androgynous and very masculine in appearance, and very few women have feminine beauty and charm in them. And from observations the you are what you eat rings true.'

'And people are so busy these days they go for fast food and canned goods that are quick to cook.' Asahi mused. Hilda nodded.

'Exactly. All that junk for several years, you only have your good parental genes and luck of the draw to grow up good-looking on your adulthood. That's if Obesity or Malnutrition doesn't ruin you first.' Hilda shrugged. 'My friends in school ate my gender-oriented cooking for two years in our dorm school and in two years, those guys grew handsome they tell me girls are gunning for them in school right now and they're my Taste-Testers.' she said. 'I'll give them beauty for one more year before shoving Yang food down their throats as too much Yin aspect is bad for boys. I only did it for the good looks aspect while still being healthy.'

'Heee...well, one look at you it does work.' Joichiro commented, seeing Hilda's good looks.

'Well, I'll continue my Yin diet until puberty ends for me.' said Hilda. 'Probably around when I'm 18-19 ish.'

'I'll have you meet my old school Headmaster. He'll be interested in your theory for sure.' said Joichiro. 'You might even get a chance to patent it in your name, you'll earn big bucks and awards if you do this right.'

'If it's a lot of work, maybe next year since summer is about to end, and summer is the longest school holiday.' said Hilda. 'My school time is a week away now, starting September. I'll meet your Headmaster at July 1 next year, sound good?'

'Ou!' Joichiro grinned. 'As for criticism...your knifework.' he said, going serious. 'While your accuracy skill is good, you're too slow. You gotta work fast while maintaining that accuracy because in real-time, you have about 45 minutes to prepare a customer's meal. 20 minutes for prepwork, and 30 minutes to properly cook them. That 45 minutes can shorten if you're very fast at knifework.' he said. 'Asahi, show her.'

'Hilda, I'm gonna borrow a potato.' Asahi said, grabbing a potato off of Hilda's grocery bag. And using Hilda's knife...he was indeed, fast at peeling. Hilda took three minutes to peel a potato but Asahi took ten seconds. And she took a minute to chop them but Asahi took ten seconds and they're french fry sticks.

'W-whaaa?!' Hilda squawked. 'That's fast!'

'That's what I mean by speedy knifework you gotta work on if you wanna run a restaurant one day.' said Joichiro. 'The faster customers get served, the more your business will grow as what customers want, is delicious food given to them quickly. And knifework will determine your restaurant ratings from Food Critics. Food served slow and customers get impatient enough to leave, that's a huge mark-down.'

'Oh...I didn't know that...'

'Now you do. For this year, you will train your shoulder, elbow, wrist and finger strength in order to be as good as us in speedy knifework. You got deliciousness down pat, as well as appearance, aroma, taste, texture and the right temperature, not to mention all your dishes are Specialty-Class, dishes only you can make as they're all original, I've never seen any of your work in any book. Work on this one weakness and you're good to go. Pen and paper will ya?'

'Hold on!' Hilda ran excitedly for her room.

'So Asahi, what do you think of her cooking? It's the bomb right?' Joichiro asked him with a grin.

'Yeah...I...I lose to her.' Asahi croaked out, shaken and in dismay. 'Her food is _that_ delicious. How good is she by your school standards?' he asked him.

'If she studied in my old school, I'd say she classifies as Elite Ten levels.' said Joichiro before doing a thinking pose. 'Around 5th Seat.'

'WHAT?!' Asahi gawked. '5th Seat?!'

'5th Seat is because she is too specialized as she focuses on food that can give you good looks by toying with the body's hormones. Specialists always rank around that. But standards may change ten years from now.' Joichiro explained. 'To rank higher, you gotta be good in as many cuisine fields as you can be, be dang creative and still earn the approval of elite gourmands and critics. 1st to 4th Seats are both masters of ingredients and many fields of cuisine. They are the ones better than her. If she improves her knifework, I'll challenge her myself during British School Holidays, as the old 2nd seat about three years from now as she's kinda physically weak.' he grinned. 'If she learns that she is not the best she thinks she was, she will push herself to aim higher until she reaches her peak potential as Chef.'

'I'm back with pen and paper!' Hilda ran back out, giving Joichiro a notepad and pen. Joichiro wrote down stuff in her notepad.

'Well, see ya in three years Hilda!' Joichiro said, 'Once you accomplish what's in this notepad, I'll challenge you to a Food Match!'

'A Cooking Contest? Sure.' Hilda nodded. 'Just don't forget, July 1 next year!'

'Yeah!' and Hilda bid them goodbye. 'Alrighty...I'm gonna do this! But why'd he give me three years to be good in knives?'

xxx

DMLE...

'So Hilda met two Japanese muggles that gave her feedback and an evaluation eh?' Madam Bones commented.

'She looks excited too, she'll meet Saiba's old school Headmaster next year to patent her theory about Yin and Yang Diet.' said an Auror. 'Saiba said she can potentially make her mark in the industry in the muggle world as well as a Chef. She left for a nearby public...computer place to make print-outs.'

'Well, at least she'll gain fame by her own merits this time.' Madam Bones chuckled. 'She really hates what made her famous to us and resents it but she gave good points on why she does.' she shook her head. 'She should earn her true break.'

'Yes but she better not forget about magic too...not training her magic will make her weak, especially when she's a target by undesirables.'

And so on that third year...Hilda did both.

Considering the twins shared to her their secret, she had shared to them hers.

The Room of Requirement.

A place the House Elves know.

Hilda had told them about the room...AFTER selling the valuables in it!

She had sold the ancient magical textiles and jewels(after having them appraised and checked for curses, but found a cursed legendary item of goblin make they were furious - Hilda gave them the item as it was goblin-make therefore only 'lent' to wizards), and after selecting useful books to keep with her, 'tossed the rest' in her Main Family Vault, a vault she cannot access till adulthood for safekeeping.

She had found really useful DADA Books she wants to keep, dangit, and have Madam Bones check if she can cast them legally to avoid Azkaban Sentences...and she was told they ARE legal DADA books when she checked the history of Department of Magical Education's standard book list. But she wanted to 'exchange books' with Hilda to teach these spells in the Auror Academy as ever since the 'Curse of DADA' happened, standards in Defense fell.

So they kept fifty books each, to exchange when they were done with it.

So she did not cook that year, in favor of studying with the twins and Lee who found the books 'interesting', and practicing hard in firing ranges they wished for.

xxx

'Has anyone seen Miss. Potter lately?' Flitwick asked the Staff Table.

'Even **I'm** having trouble finding her, and I'm her Head of House!' said McGonagall with a sigh. 'She's bad enough in evading people in the past two years, she got worse but at least the elves would tell me she's not alone.'

'Oh? Who is she with?' Dumbledore asked her.

'Her taste-testers but this year they're not cooking...they're in some room they want secret so the elves won't say, all I can know is they turned it into a firing range to practice defense on.'

'That's actually a good idea considering what we have this year.' said Remus Lupin, new DADA Teacher. 'Anything I should know before I have my first class with her?'

'She's a private person and despises privacy intruders and never forgives if that one thing was done. She never forgave Colin Creevey for taking stalker photos of her. She also hates it if her competence was wrongly questioned and judged unless they judged right.' said McGonagall. 'And she aspires to be a Chef and I got to admit, her cooking is extremely delicious.' she said wistfully. 'She really can open her dream restaurant one day.'

'I see...I hope to try it out if we ever get to speak to her.' said Dumbledore.

It took them a good while to get to Hilda as she was skilled in running away though.

xxx

'Sooo on a nice weekend, the Staff wanted to taste your cooking.' said Lee.

'Yeah. This saturday.'

'Oh man this is gonna be a hoot!' Fred chortled. 'This, we gotta see!'

They could NOT wait for saturday until that one morning, students noted that all teachers are absent for breakfast.

And in the kitchens, beautiful cuisine was made, and she impressed, while dressed in muggle clothing. Her works were a work of art it almost looked criminal to eat it all but each dish per course was mind-bogglingly delicious they were all passed out on the floor.

'Er...that didn't happen to us last time?' George squeaked as their teachers were drooling messes on the floor. That, was after moaning out inappropriate sounds.

'Well, I was going easy on you guys, gradually adjusting until you're mentally-strong enough for my full kitchen skills or end up like that.' said Hilda sheepishly.

The twins and Lee paled.

Those moans BOTHERED them and the fact their lady friend is a blooming beauty...yeah, not helping their own hormones...

And she was doing many things too. Physical training, not just the firing range. Well, with a killer on the loose, you'd prepare for war too, they thought.

'Er professors? Need the Hospital Wing sometime soon?'


	5. The Big Show

The Big Show

Come Christmas Hols...

'Ah man, I hate the cold.' Hilda mused as she got up.

It's snowing real bad on a weekend no less.

Its been about two and a half months since school began. Understandably, she has no Hogsmeade Form that she ripped it in half when McGonagall gave her one a few months ago.

And she got stronger now magically but she was lacking behind her peers in magic as she horrifyingly realized that she virtually lives in the Firing Range after classes, and asking Madam Pomfrey to adjust her bra for her as they don't fit anymore. She also took great care of her figure using magic so far, and causing bad things in her body to 'disappear'. Those medical books from MagAm came in handy for firming herself up. She was among those who signed to go home for Christmas hols.

'Eh? You're going to Japan?' McGonagall gasped. 'What on Earth for?'

'I'll go check out the place a professional told me about, a Private Academy for Chefs where he came from. I'll buy some books there and come straight back. Hopefully there's some in English. As if Black can find me there if only you know where I'm going.' Hilda snorted. 'By the way, before I go, let's go call Madam Bones over and hopefully, they have Veritaserum on stock. We'll have a trial in the Great Hall as soon as we catch two people.' she grinned.

'Two?'

'Yup. Sirius Black himself and one other, as soon as Madam Bones made sure she brought smart ones over and not incompetent morons and kiss-asses, as well as one Daily Prophet Reporter plus photographer.' Hilda grinned. 'I have my ways.' McGonagall choked at that.

'Y-you know where he is?!'

'Yup. Until they are here, he will not show up so the other will not run. That's all I can say. Keep this quiet as this is supposed to be a surprise operation _where our targets cannot get away_.' Hilda grinned viciously, all teeth. 'Only you and I are to know, no one else or this operation is a bust.'

'A-alright...I can't even tell Albus?'

'Who's still _trying_ to convince me to go back to them for his so-called protection, and he'll do anything for that, so no.' said Hilda with an eye-roll. McGonagall scowled as she yelled at him enough for it, but he clearly hasn't given up on it. 'I've been burning all letters I get from him and ignoring all calls that wasn't school-related, so yeah.'

'I see. That man...'

'Whatever dark potions he's _sniffing_ that he still thinks those monsters can do no wrong, we'd better throw it out.'

(When McGonagall nagged him about that one bit, McGonagall cheerfully dropped down that comment, making the old man choke.)

xxx

'Hey boys, how's it going?' Hilda asked the twins. 'How's Ginny doing over there?'

'Well, we had a long orientation talk with the Headmaster before 1st day happened.' said Fred. 'Ilvermorny holds no importance over Blood Status. Instead, what they got is a hierarchy of Aristocrats who earned their noble status based on family accomplishments. No bias, no prejudice unless it's at us, all's good.' he said.

'Just that, mum wasn't happy when we were told why America and so does everybody in the world looks down on us.' said George with a gloomy sigh. 'And it's not even our faults. You should see the Headmaster's expression, Dumbledore ain't too happy. Percy was so upset he wasn't even getting premium education when we got home he insisted on buying Ilvermorny books for OWL and NEWT years to brush up better and Ron thinks he's insane.'

'And he can't do a thing about it because of the morons in the Government.' Hilda snorted. 'Magical Britain is ruled by a group of idiots it's slowly slitting it's own throat, bleeding out to die that for a good life, the smart ones should leave for a better life elsewhere and leave the remaining Low IQ morons to rot.' she said coolly with a chilly smile. 'Did that little info change Percy's mind about working for the Ministry?'

'Not really but he swore to be a bureaucrat who's not an idiot.' Fred snorted. 'Good luck with that if you're surrounded by idiots at work.'

'And how's our...guest?'

'Well, we keep him drugged with house elf help for a whole month now while spelling food in his gut. Ron's wondering why we took Scabbers in exchange for his own owl and a cat as an advanced Christmas Gift from us.'

'As for the other, I got his cooperation. He's waiting for our signal.'

'Well, we gambled and prepared for days for this.' said Fred. 'Let's check the maps again.'

xxx

That night...

Hilda was in the Great Hall...for once.

Hardly anyone sees the Girl-Who-Lived unless its in classes, but the Hufflepuffs who go to the kitchens for snacks always sees her cooking with the elves but makes different things, '...and makes the Weasley Twins eat what she makes!'

The House Elves are also learning from her too, since the appearance and smell of food improved by leaps and bounds.

Before they were about to start dinner, there was a surprise visit from Madam Bones and a team of aurors, and a pair from the Daily Prophet.

'Madam Bones, what brings you here to Hogwarts?' Dumbledore asked,

'I'm here to do my job.' said Madam Bones curtly. 'An Unofficial Trial for starters and then we'll arrange for the real thing.' she said as she took out something from her pocket. A small chair which she unshrunk. It was actually an interrogation chair. 'Kids, you have our guest?' her question baffled the whole hall next.

'We do~!' the twins chimed happily, giving her a cage containing a rat.

'Fred! George! What are you up to now?' Percy choked out. Last time they did a reckless stunt it was saving their sister from Voldemort and a Basilisk, what is it this time with his old rat?

'Oh, we'll make an animagus talk, that's all!'

Say _what_ now?

'Wait...rat animagus...don't tell me...!' Professor Lupin gasped out as the Aurors immediately followed protocol, revealing who's supposed to be dead. 'Wormtail?!'

'He's alive?!' the professors gasped out as the Aurors put Magic Suppressing Shackles on the man after reverting him back, locked him in the chair, fed him Veritaserum and then ennervated him.

'Scabbers is a man?' Ron felt faint...he did. Percy looked ill too. He petted a grown man for years and treated him like a pet even cooing to it, he now looked sick.

'W-wha?!' Pettigrew yelped as the Cameraman took photos of him while the Daily Prophet reporter began writing rapidly.

'Not-so-dead after all are we?' Madam Bones asked him with a raised eyebrow. 'I have some questions to ask you. Let's begin with why James and Lily Potter died that night.'

'I was scared...I was going to be next.' Pettigrew said fearfully as his mouth was out of his control. 'I wanted to live and we'll lose the war anyway. We'll lose because you go easy on the Death Eaters for being purebloods while they kill so many of us off. It was a lost cause and it was too late when Crouch finally authorized fighting back. I thought of many things to survive. My chance came when James called me to his house. He trusted me to be the Secret Keeper for the Fidelius. He and Sirius said Sirius was too obvious so Sirius said he be the bait while I be the real Secret Keeper. I thought this was my chance.'

'It can't be...you sold Lily, James and Hilda...to Voldemort?!' Professor Lupin howled as Snape and Hilda looked pissed. The whole hall was in shock.

'I did. We'll all die anyway so what was the point? But I wanted to live no matter what. I immediately went to the Dark Lord to give him the secret. He awarded me with the Dark Mark...and I ran for it...but Sirius found me. I knew then the Potters are dead if he was after me. So I framed him for my betrayal, and the deaths of thirteen muggles and faked my own death.'

Hilda lost it.

She took out a meat cleaver and she struck, chopping off his left leg that fell on the floor, revealing quite the gory stump, causing sensitive people to go queasy and faint. Others were too shocked by her deed.

'AAARRRRGGGHHHH!'

'HILDA!' the Weasleys gasped as she was bent on murder they had to physically restrain her while the Aurors took the cleaver from her, shaken from her sudden, brutal strike.

'YOU BASTARD! YOU REALLY ARE A RAT!' Hilda snarled, struggling violently against the Weasleys, hot tears of grief flowing down her reddened cheeks and they were having trouble holding her back and that's already four brothers and Lee Jordan she effortlessly threw off two of the boys with sheer strength alone! 'MY FAMILY WAS A FOOL TO TRUST YOU! ANIMAGUS FORMS REALLY **DO** REFLECT THEIR WIZARD! YOU PIECE OF SHIT! YOU SICK FUCK! LET ME GO! LET ME KILL HIM TOO! A LIFE FOR A LIFE!'

'HILDA NO! YOU'RE BETTER THAN THIS!' Fred cried. 'Don't sink to his level!'

'LIKE HELL I CARE! LET ME KILL HIM! LET ME GO!'

'Stupefy!' Hermione Granger stunned her.

'...thanks, we needed that one.' Percy squeaked weakly as he was thrown off close to the Slytherin Table and poor Lee over food in their table so his back hurt from all the bowls and hot food he fell on. 'She's damn strong.'

'Let's give Miss. Potter time to cool down.' said Madam Bones, going green as Pettigrew sobbed in pain from the brutal amputation. 'Somebody bring him to a holding cell in the Ministry discreetly and cauterize his stump so he can't run.' she choked out. 'You next, twins. Start talking.' her voice had a quiver in it as she was in shock from the revelations as two of her Aurors left with their prisoner. 'How did you know that he was alive?'

'W-well, we had this map of Hogwarts created by four pranksters we sorta nicked from Filch's Office in our First Year.' said George. 'Moony, Padfoot, Wormtail and Prongs. It shows all of Hogwarts or at least we hope it was, since some passages are _still_ secret that we discovered new ones on our own...'

'We lent it to Hilda for a year because of what's going on. She asked us for history through newspapers and then she saw Pettigrew's name always with Ron. So she tracked down Ron but he was alone.' said Fred as Percy gave his brothers and Hilda a WTH look. 'And he's always carrying Scabbers so we thought Animagus.'

'Been dosing him for weeks with Sleeping Draught too through his food.'

'If you knew, why didn't you tell me?!' Percy cried in horror, 'Our pet's this guy for years?!'

'Hey, we had to keep hush hush.' said Fred with a shrug. 'This was a delicate case that requires _subtle finesse_ because a supposed dead guy is actually alive shacking with us in our house that there's more to thirteen years ago, we thought. Then with animagi about, we thought, why not Black too?'

'We found him alright, just in the school grounds...' George piped up.

'AND WHY DIDN'T YOU KIDS SAY ANYTHING?!' McGonagall cried.

'Again, we need hush-hush.' said George. 'We forced Black to talk after capturing him while he's still a dog and Hilda threatened to shove chocolates down his throat as chocolates are _poisonous to dogs_.' every muggleborn present gasped as they would know that than anyone else in the hall. 'He reverted back and told us that he was innocent and his side of the story...and he was after Pettigrew, not Hilda as everyone thinks. He said he realized he's at Hogwarts when he saw a Daily Prophet article with us in the front page when we visited Bill in Egypt.'

'He also apologized to Hilda for being a screw-up that he lost his chance to be a proper Godfather...he actually has a Godfather Bonding Ritual done with James Potter tying him to Hilda so he can never hurt her or else.' said Fred. 'So upon confirming that as any pureblood worth their salt would know what that ritual is, we've been taking care of the bloke to prepare him for his debut today and Hilda's catching up to family since. Oh, and he made her his heiress incase he was wrongly murdered sometime later so she's now heiress to two families so the Black Family gold won't fall into the wrong hands...and wrote his Official Will in advance with Hilda and high-ranking goblins as witnesses.'

Several people gasped at that.

'Wait a minute, that would mean he went into Gringotts...they didn't bar him?!' Madam Bones gasped out.

'They didn't because he never got a trial in the first place, just chucked to Azkaban.' Fred shrugged. 'To them, no official trial, still a customer but a customer under one hell of a vacation. Had he been officially and legally tried, they would've detained him as procedure and give him to the Ministry.'

'And where's Black right now?'

'Right over here.' in the hall was Sirius Black under an Invisibility Cloak, startling the whole hall. He was cleaned up, shaven, and wearing good clothes with his hair slicked back. He wore a long-sleeved cotton shirt, a wool sweater-vest and denim pants with brown leather shoes. Out of the adults present, Professor Lupin choked while Snape just looked pissed. 'I had a hard time holding back from throttling the bastard, but I didn't expect Hilda to hack him off with a knife...' he shuddered as he went to give the cloak to the twins.

'We didn't expect that either.' said George. 'How the hell she hid that cleaver in her clothes without cutting herself is a mystery.'

'Sooo do I need Veritaserum shoved down my throat too now, Amelia?' Sirius asked Madam Bones with an armfold. 'Just to be sure before we have an official party in the court. And thank goodness there's a reporter, certain bastards can't sweep this under the rug this time.' he scoffed. 'And wake up Hilda boys. Peter's gone.'

'Uh, right...Ennervate!' Lee woke Hilda up.

'Mmm...'

'Cool down now Hilda?' Sirius asked Hilda who got up.

'Not enough.' Hilda scowled.

'His filthy blood on your hands isn't worth it Hilda. For now, leave him to rot where he should.' said Sirius as he sat on the interrogation chair.

'I don't think interrogating you is needed now since we have all we need anyway.' Madam Bones shook her head. 'But considering you have thirteen years of prison, you're way overpunished for being an Illegal Animagus so consider the usual Penalty Fine waived, but after your official pardon you WILL get registered.' she declared. 'So this wouldn't have happened had people bothered to check for family magicks. Ritual-Sworn Witches and Wizards cannot betray anyone they sworn to. In his case, Sirius was sworn Godfather to Miss. Potter, thus he can never harm James and Hilda, the Bonder of the Ritual and the Bonded.'

'So I'll talk to Hilda last and no need to sit on the chair.' Hilda nodded. 'Hilda, what do you think about all this?'

'I know Sirius told me everything but hearing it from that bastard in person...I lost it.' Hilda scowled. 'Friends for years and they did things for him and he repaid that friendship in the worst way possible. And he can shamelessly admit it at that I got pissed. One's animagus form is apparently a clear hint of what kind of people they are, emphasizing that trait through their form. But at least I got the truth of thirteen years ago and its all I needed to know. At least I have decent family somewhere who supports my ideal future and never put unreasonable expectations and demands on and of me.'

'Ideal future?' the reporter asked. 'What's your ideal future?'

'Well, I wanted to be a licensed chef and open my own restaurant one day so after Hogwarts I'll enroll in a well-known Culinary School. Can't open a restaurant without credentials you know.'

'She's a dang good cook.' Sirius chuckled. 'You should see her at work, her dishes are good enough to serve to the wealthy and famous and I'm not saying that out of godfatherly bias. If you eat her work, you'd understand. I did eat her food when I recovered from my prison stint.'

'Yeah, and we eat everyday as her Taste-Testers.' George grinned. 'It's like eating fancy for free! She once took us to a fancy place in London just so we'd get the idea of what kind of place she wanted to open one day and the food style was the exact same. It's dang fancy. Try going to London and scope out fancy restaurants. A meal there is equivalent to 16 Galleons a full meal per head.'

'WHAT?! Who's insane to pay that much for a meal?!'

'Muggles. Particularly the wealthy ones.' Hilda beamed. 'They give appropriate dues on values you know. Being seen eating in classy places shows off one's social status there.'

'Blimey, that's insane...'

'Insane but hey, it's business.' Hilda shrugged. 'In business customer is King. If you satisfy the King, expect their regular patronage. And I take pride in my family's ability to specialize in a field that brings wealth. If grandpa invented Sleekeazy to quadruple the family gold, I'll open a restaurant and triple it more.'

xxx

Sirius had to go with the DMLE to be 'in a safe place' known only to Madam Bones for his official trial in Court that she'll schedule while the Reporter had to act fast to print next morning's issue.

Indeed, it was a Morning Special the next day.

TRUTH OF THIRTEEN YEARS AGO! DARK SECRET  
BROUGHT TO LIGHT! TRUE TRAITOR ALL ALONG!

And on the front page, was Peter Pettigrew who's supposedly dead. And its three kids who managed to get the truth out...though it's understandable Hilda has intent to murder, having carried a cleaver without her friends and Sirius knowing, and traumatized the whole hall while she was at it that people gave her a wide berth in Hogwarts incase she goes stab-happy again.

Caused one hell of a ruckus that morning, that the Wizengamot gathered for Court as was the intention of Madam Bones and she was prepared for war as the kids have done their part. But still, for three kids to piece things out together, doing their own investigation and methods in getting the truth out astonished many Prophet readers that Hilda aside, Fred and George Weasley began to gain notoriety.

But really, those three kids sure get into a lot of insanity, poor Arthur people said they found him drinking Firewhiskey out of shock. Molly sent a Howler to Hogwarts, but the twins cheerfully burned it off with a spell Hilda taught them. She gave them the Charms and Transfiguration Books of old before 'school standards went crap', but they shared the Potions Books.

They discovered through Madam Bones that standards literally went crap when Dumbledore became Headmaster, and Percy didn't take that well. But Hilda could see why.

Since Dumbledore was aware of a budding Dark Lord gaining followers since he was a teenager, he deliberately sabotaged the next generation so potential recruits would be weak, while compromising the side of justice as a side effect. However, this would mean that he and his generation remains powerful and competent, but too old to actively fight. Since Percy was in the know, the Head Boy wasn't too happy, and bargained his way that they share books with him and start a club somehow. Since it was his last year it's up to the twins to damn well start a club so nobody falls behind. With a Dark Lord on the loose and not-quite-dead, they could use the forces.

When things were made official at long last, he was officially cleared of charges while Pettigrew had to occupy a special cell for animagi and Sirius obtained custody of Hilda by default, considering the Bonding Ritual's effects.


	6. A Sad Gourmand

A Sad Gourmand

Since the 'show' in Hogwarts...

There were many things going through everybody's mind.

The twins are close to the resident celebrity, they just had no idea HOW close, considering they get into shenanigans such as investigating a case thought to be closed other than being her Taste-Tester much to Ron's jealousy that they were close to a famous person.

Understandably, Hilda was nowhere to be seen. When was she _ever_ around other than classes?

Sirius Black stuck around Hogwarts ever since he got a wand again, hanging with his Goddaughter and was also frequently seen in the kitchens.

However, Hilda unknowingly caused controversy and a new brand of 'judging' through her words in the Prophet regarding Animagi, that one's animal forms reflected their most prominent traits whether positive or negative, and rat became synonymous to 'traitor' since that the Ministry began figuring out traits of animal forms of Animagi to see if they have the potential to turn to crime that legally-registered Animagi got nervous. McGonagall has nothing to worry about as she's a cat. It was the talk of the Ministry since.

Sirius who was a dog, was famously known as a 'man's best friend' animal and he was James Potter's best friend and remained loyal throughout the years.

Sure he admitted he's a dog but he didn't say what he looked like, as it was an asset as an Auror. 'What, gonna shoot down any dog down the street now, even a wee puppy? Muggles will be furious considering how they value dogs as pets and family guards.'

He got his old job as an Auror back, but he was so out of shape he was given one year to recover since his trial before going back to office by Madam Bones, and was properly compensated for his wrong stint. Pettigrew's Order of Merlin, was 'forcefully taken back' from his mother.

'So you're going to Japan for Christmas due to what that guy said,' said Sirius.

'Yeah. I had to mail his old Headmaster that I'll pay the school a visit to check it out. But I got a reply that he wants me to do a two-week job for him, a delicate case he'd explain when I get there.' Hilda frowned. 'He sounded worried. Been going back and forth my post-box in London with elven help.'

'Oh Hilda, getting in and out undetected, not even we accomplished that!' Sirius sniffled dramatically. 'I'm so proud!'

'Oh shaddap!' Hilda giggled.

'So what about Professor Lupin?'

'He uhh...is undergoing a Werewolf brand of grief, it doesn't help that it's nearing Full Moon again.' Sirius sighed. 'He asked me to back off until he's perfectly sane again.'

'Ah...OK.'

'Welp, let's go to Japan and ditch the train! Sooo how do we get there?'

'By airplane of course! I don't trust Portkeys!'

xxx

Tokyo, hours later...

Hilda flagged a cab after they got out of the airport.

'Doko desu ka?'

'Tootsuki Saryo Ryori Gakuen please!'

'So what the driver said was 'where to'?' Sirius asked Hilda.

'I just guessed, I don't know any Japanese!'

After paying the rather huge bill since the driver not only took them to the school gates, he also went in the humongous campus heading towards the school!

'Darn that Joichiro! He didn't tell me his old school was this big!' Hilda exclaimed, her eyes bulging as they were taken around before getting off the can to be at the school. 'The hell is this place?!'

'Beats me, now where to?'

'We go look for the Nakiri Mansion in here. The Nakiri Family owns this huge place.' so with Point-Me's, they arrived at the place. It's a huge european-style classy mansion.

'Senzaemon-sama is expecting us.' said Hilda to a man in a suit. 'Please take us to him.' the man obliged.

'Phew, I'm glad the guys here can speak English.' Sirius said in relief.

'You and me both, I don't know a lick other than formalities.'

xxx

'I'm glad you're able to come, Hilda.' said the old man who's very fluent.

'You mentioned something about a delicate case?' Hilda asked him.

'Yes. You can say I found out an ugly truth I was furious about and my poor granddaughter was made to change in the most horrible way possible.' said Senzaemon bitterly. 'I managed to undo most of it, but she grew to hate cooking and food as a result of what was done to her by her own father. You can say I cleaned house, before I was able to tend to her.'

'Your granddaughter was abused by her own father? How and why?!' Sirius gasped in horror.

'Erina was born with a unique trait that would make her the best chef in the world in her future. God's Tongue.' said Senzaemon. 'She could taste flavors and flaws with extreme accuracy she couldn't bring herself to eat what she deems 'bland' and 'disgusting' she became a genius Taste-Tester at a young age. I would cook for her but as Academy Director, I'm so busy and the family chef can never satisfy her she refuses to eat! She's rapidly losing weight. I would have hired Joichiro but he's unavailable due to family reasons.'

'Ah...'

'Back to what her fool of a father has done,' Senzaemon scowled, 'His idea of training, was locking her up in a dark room, and when chefs come to her for consultation, she had to compare and throw away inferior dishes but when she wouldn't as 'it's bad to waste', he would physically hurt her. It was brainwashing along with imprinting deep fear in her.' the two foreigners choked. 'I banished him from the family and had his existence in Tootsuki and in the family erased. We had to do one heck of an editing in all records, and I banished his subordinates to avoid future infection attempts. I had to tell relatives of the events, they'll soon be here for support.'

'I see...as a victim of child exploitation myself, I'd know what to look for.' Hilda chuckled bitterly. 'I was Cinderella and Princess Sarah to my maternal relatives until I got fed up and ran off on my own. As a rebel kid, I'll fix your granddaughter so she has the strength to fight back incase he dares to come back.'

'I'm grateful.' Senzaemon smiled.

'Well, as her Godfather, I had a lot to catch up too.' said Sirius. 'I was wrongfully framed for a crime I didn't commit, I was just recently compensated for it. I'll help her out since if I guess right, I'm just around her father's age she'd have fear towards men my age. I have to show her not all men in that age range are monsters.'

'Mm. I'll take you to meet Erina, shall I? She knows English, don't worry.'

He took them to a room in the mansion after ordering a maid to carry their luggages away to their assigned rooms.

Upon getting to a bedroom in the third floor, Senzaemon knocked on the door. 'Erina? Ojichan da. Haitte kimasu yo(it's grandpa. I'm coming in).'

'Hai.' they came in to see a young girl as young as grade school age who's quite skinny in a cute dress. 'Jiichan, kare wa dare nano(who are they)?' Nakiri Erina asked as she looked at the foreign people. She was as cute as a doll.

'Karera wa washi ga anata ni otozureta hito ni tsuite itta hito-tachijayo(they're the people I told you about who'd come visit).' Senzaemon smiled. 'English mode now.'

'Oh! OK!' Erina nodded.

'I'm Hilda Potter.' said Hilda, introducing herself, speaking slowly enough but not that slow.

'And I'm her godfather, Sirius Black.' said Sirius as Erina looked at him nervously. 'Don't worry, I'm not a bad guy.' he grinned, patting her head. 'We'll get along real great while Hilda teaches you how to cook.' Erina began to deflate.

'Will it even be good?'

'Hoho! Joichiro highly rated Hilda's skill in cooking.' Senzaemon chuckled. 'He rated her as Elite Ten 5th Seat.' Erina then perked up.

'Oh! OK! If Joichiro-sama says so!'

'Ara, charmer of little hearts now, that guy?' Hilda snorted, doing an armfold.

'He was the first ever person who made food she actually likes.' Senzaemon chuckled. 'She holds him in high regard.'

'Heee...well, I'll show you I'm worth that praise, little lady!' Hilda grinned. 'Just let me get changed, can't cook in a winter coat! At least Japanese Winters are warmer than British Winters up some notches but it's still darn cold!' she chuckled with a grimace.

'No kidding, I could use some Chai of yours.' said Sirius.

And so...in the kitchens wherein Hilda wore a customized Chef Uniform...Hilda exploited the huge pantry, and whipped up healthy fare that was so aromatic. 'I won't bother with fancy courses right now since my job is to teach Erina-chan how to eat healthy and get her back in shape! Fancy Courses can wait!'

It was a multi-colored congee.

'This is...congee?' Erina blinked, puzzled. 'But with weird colors!' and for her grandfather, it's beautiful cuisine!

'Yup. Easy on the tummy for a very starved girl with hurt stomach.' said Erina. 'Had I cooked my usual fare despite health benefits, the heavy feel of solids would upset your stomach so let's go light and easy since your fool of a father harmed your body too with his so-called training. The colors came from their natural ingredients made for _strengthening our internal organs and bones_. And I made Chai using Matcha, not the usual Black Teas it's usually made out of. Black Teas would be too much for you too.'

Erina ate the congees but was struck with how...deliciously perfect it was. No flaws, and incredibly delicious but...she has an insane drive to eat all of a sudden?!

Manners be damned, she ate all six bowls and was utterly satisfied after drinking chai. 'Haaa~'

'Erina finished all six bowls...when she can't even stomach three spoons of food!' Senzaemon choked out.

'It's all natural medicinal ingredients Senzaemon-sama. Medicine came from nature in the first place, not the druggy nonsense in drugstores these days.' Hilda piped up cheerfully. 'Until Christmas, Erina-chan must take it easy so she can enjoy the Christmas Feast and New Year's Feast without feeling crappy! Oh and Erina-chan?'

'Yes?'

'After the health congees...you'll have to take a cup of medicine that will help the body absorb the nutrition faster.' Hilda took out a porcelain bottle and poured out enough for a shot glass. 'Tastes disgusting but when did medicine ever taste good anyway?' Erina choked, making a face as she reluctantly took the...rust-brown thingy in the shot glass...and downed it in one gulp.

'YUCK!' Erina howled as she freaked out, quickly pouring herself Chai and chugging it down. 'Kishokuwarui! Bleeeeh! I have to drink this for how long?!'

'Two weeks. Three times a day after big meals.' Hilda chuckled.

'Two weeks?! Nooooo!' Erina wailed in dismay.

'Its for health Erina.' Senzaemon told his granddaughter. 'You're severely ill and hurt! Endure it until you're better OK? It's only two weeks.'

Erina whimpered despairingly.

'Maa maa...I'll make up for the yucky medicine in Christmas and New Year's feast, OK?' Hilda chuckled, patting Erina's head. 'It'll be alright soon so be strong against the yucky, OK?'

'Mooou...' Erina sulked unhappily. 'You better make up for this!' she cried in a childish teary-eyed expression that was so cute.

xxx

'...that's one unusual reaction to the medicine.' Sirius said as he and Senzaemon left the girls, recalling Erina's over-the-top disgust. 'For anyone drinking it, it's just as bitter as a bit of black coffee powder.'

'Well, she is extremely sensitive that while an asset to her future as a Chef, it's also a curse.' said Senzaemon. 'She is extremely sensitive to flavors, texture and temperature with incredible memory regarding what she tastes.' he said. 'She once tasted different salts while blindfolded, she can accurately tell what salt it was and where it came from after a quick study and first taste. It was also hard when she was a baby...her baby food had to be done by skilled chefs just so she'd eat, she can't even bear her own mother's breast milk.'

'Speaking, where's the lady?' Sirius frowned.

'She...has become extremely difficult when Erina was very young...I have two children in my life, Soe and her.' said Senzaemon glumly. 'While Soe had a happy marriage as he was a doting, loving husband to his wife and child, my daughter never knew what changes she caused to happen and how much he hurt their daughter when she was gone.' Senzaemon shook his head. 'If only things never happened, Erina would never have gotten hurt while my eyes were watching over the school.' he said sadly. 'Erina was all alone and the servants could not do a thing as that man's faction literally isolated her from them until eventually, they had a chance to get proof and get it to me.'

'Hilda's task for her holidays is crucial. Healing Erina on her school vacations.'

'Well, Hilda never had a childhood herself. I was in prison the whole time after I was framed and my fool of a school headmaster gave her to her mother's sister who was a jealous, spiteful cow who took it out on her.' Sirius scowled. 'Hilda never had a childhood while a slave of her own relatives. I bet my money if Petunia and Vernon died, their boy probably grew up a good kid but those two morons spoiled their son too much he's now a budding criminal. A bully and a mugger at a young age, already an expert in coercion and extortion.' he shook his head. 'Just you wait, we'll make a rebel out of Erina so incase the bastard gets back, she knows how to survive, buuut we're gonna need your assistance as we have no idea where to get what.'

'Hm? Ideas, you say?'

'Yes. You can say I'm an unrepentant prankster and in escaping from prank retribution in my younger days...'

'Why does that give me the chills?'

xxx

Hilda's idea of healing Erina was putting a stop to her work, and giving the girl an actual childhood, along with just cooking lessons. What she dreamed and longed to have but cruelly-denied to her, she made sure Erina gets it. And she got Erina started on making desserts first, after her home tutoring hours are over in General Education. But on weekends, the plan was to 'teach her life'.

But when Erina was at tutoring hours, Hilda would study Japanese Ingredients Tootsuki possesses and find ones she could access in treating a malnourished picky eater while giving the Yin treatment, and teaching the family chef how to make it. Not only that, she also felt she was a College Student presenting her thesis to Senzaemon when she explained her Yin-Yang Diet in the presence of the Academy's Authorities! She succeeded in proving her theories as she has a lot of solid bases, and patented it before more important people in the Culinary Industry in Japan. She cooked many foods for scientists to study to determine many factors of how it can influence the human body's hormones.

And the sole advantages of Home Tutoring is that Erina could advance at her own pace. She was already at least, three years ahead that she could be as good as a ten year old in English-speaking.

'Why desserts?' Erina asked her.

'Well, an oven is safer for a child to use. I'm not letting you touch the stove till you're at least, ten years old.' said Hilda flatly. 'A kid and hot oil in a pan is just asking for trouble. Heck, I'm supervising you with a knife as it is. You're like, six years old! I'm nervous as it is in letting you hold a knife!'

THAT, is what's normal and BASIC COMMON SENSE. Yet in a bid to make her life hell, Hilda was made to hold a knife at four years old, probably in hopes of an accident.

On weekends...Hilda would teach Erina good values and the rationale, while on sundays, Sirius takes the girls out for fun after he studied Tokyo for a whole week while giving Senzaemon a 'Rebel Curriculum' so Erina grows up fiercely independent and knowing what to do when she is oppressed again.

The first Christmas Week was hectic busy, but a lot was accomplished. Hilda managed to build her reputation.

On December 24...

The relatives came.

Sirius and Hilda met Nakiri Soe and his wife Leonora who was a Danish Lady, and their half-Danish daughter Alice who has her right-hand man Kurokiba Ryou.

First thing they did? Wail on the overwhelmed blonde while poor boy had no idea what to do.

'Kurokiba-kun, is it?' Hilda approached Ryou who nodded. 'You'll have to deal with family drama for a bit but the girls would need you as a pillar of support, someone they can come to when upset. Do you know what happened to Erina-chan?'

'Milady was furious and wailed at me for it for days when she got wind why Erina-sama never answered her letters.'

'Ah...well, it's a time of healing right now, so be a good support as a friend, OK?' Hilda smiled at him sadly. 'Erina-chan needs friends to help heal from it all. And no child ever deserves to be mistreated and hurt by an adult. A good adult is supposed to care for, and nurture happy children so they would grow up good and do what's right. Adults should never hurt children but sadly, the world isn't that perfect.'

'Hai...'

'Well, I better get ready to cook!' Hilda chimed. 'I promised Erina-chan after making her drink yucky medicine I'll go all out in Christmas Feasts!'

'Will there be Seafood?' Ryou asked her. 'I specialize in Seafood.'

'Mm! Wanna help me out as Sous-Chef? We'll make lots of stuff each course! Just that, I hope you mastered the ingredients...Erina-chan's sensitive she can detect if things are not well-done enough, undercooked or overcooked, she's scary.' Hilda chuckled. 'I'm apparently the second person who earned her tongue's approval. Not like you'd remember who cooked your baby food anyway.'


	7. Foreigners Cometh

Foreigners Cometh

'Man, what a big fanfare.' said Sirius as he sat in the kitchen on a chair near the door to be out of the way of the two cooks; Hilda and Ryou. 'But its for the little lady of the house.'

'Yeah. This year is a cleansing period after all, if y'know what I mean.' Hilda snorted as she and Ryou finished different varieties of Amuse-Gueules before going on to cooking soup.

Considering it's a full-course, they have a Sommelier nearby. They made his share of food to and eat so he can prepare wine appropriate for the Dinner Banquet and he cannot move until they were finished. He only tasted one course so far! He was also asked what drinks for kids will suit what as kids cannot drink alcohol or risk damaging their taste buds at a young age.

'Welp, Operation Childhood is a go.' said Sirius. 'All work and no play will make you a messed-up adult who have no idea how to raise a child properly when they become parents one day. I managed to convince old man Senzaemon to stop work coming to Erina till she's ten years old and collaborate with relatives to let the kids have a happy colorful childhood to make the kids have the strength of heart against bad influences coming at them. Because there are things we can only have and enjoy only once or for a short period of time. Children for ten years, Teenagers for seven, and Adult till the day we die. And childhood influences what kind of adults we become one day.'

'Yeah, no kidding there. These kids still have the chance. We have to make it count.' said Hilda seriously. 'Chances lost are lost forever after all.'

With that in mind, an Eight-Course Meal was made. Amuse-Gueules, Soup, Fish, Meat, Main Course, Salads, Desserts and the Drinks are the Sommelier's job. Ryou has no idea how to make Desserts.

Hilda was about to teach while making him assist when...

'Ahhhh! I can't believe you're here without me Ryou-kuuun!' Alice cried unhappily, barging into the kitchen and saw a picturesque collection of food. 'Fuaaaa!' she gasped in marvel as its all...beautiful to her eyes.

'Hi! We're about to make Desserts now for tonight's dinner!' Hilda smiled. 'Wanna help out? I can use another Patissier!' Alice beamed happily at that.

'Kay~!'

Alice happily tossed away her coat and rolled up her sleeves before putting on an apron.

'Well, this sure makes a nice picture.' Sirius sighed wistfully as he took photos to show to Moony back home. 'And for one with a crappy childhood, you sure grew up nurturing, Hilda.'

xxx

Thus, the Christmas Eve Feast is served!

'Oho! These all look good!' Leonora squealed as the servants laid out everything on the table, only to assist in putting in first the appetizer and soup. After that, it's their job to take used-up dishes and put clean ones in for use.

And the family put in quite the effort for the second week.

Alice actually had a childhood unlike her cousin. Ryou who never had a childhood gained one when Alice's parents took him in their custody.

'Gifts can be a curse, if the gifted is surrounded by evil who would exploit.' Hilda would tell Alice and Ryou. 'They would make the gifted feel they are cursed instead of enjoying their gift as they are horribly exploited into unhappiness and despair. Her father and his people being the evil are perfect examples, and Erina-chan resenting her gift to the point she began hating cooking and food you're truly fortunate that for your own gifts, you have good people around you who nurtured and supported you properly.'

Alice was as gifted as her cousin. She was the 'mental gift' to Erina's 'physical'. Her gift manifested in Molecular Gastronomy genius that she's studying and absorbing all she could to earn her own merits before making herself known.

She made the kids watch Disney Films, Comedy Films and Anime that have a lot to do with 'Slice of Life' that also teaches good lessons off of World Masterpiece Theaters...after looking for all of them in the Virtual Library. She gave them Sailor Moon and Ah! My Goddess to teach Girl Power and other things, while Hilda gave Ryou the Yu Yu Hakusho and forbade the girls from watching a 'boy's only show'.

Its apparently to teach Ryou how to fight, but none of the flashy stuff of course. Just his own fists.

(in later his life, Ryou trained like crazy out of influence that would be useful later on)

And when New Year came...the whole family participated in cooking a massive New Year's Feast for the whole mansion.

Lucky servants. However, on January 1 the next morning, they had to go as Hilda only had two weeks of Christmas Break!

'WHAAAAAT?!'

As the girls wailed and whined...and Ryou was sulking.

'Oh dear, this looks problematic~' Leonora gasped out childishly.

'Ahaha, Hilda did a really great job being a big sister they don't want to let her go.' Sirius sweatdropped as Hilda was trying to placate the crying little girls. 'Guys, help? We'll miss our flight...' he begged the parents.

It took a while, and promises to be made before Hilda and Sirius could go to the airport courtesy of the family limo.

'This was one big adventure.' said Hilda wistfully.

'Yeah. You did a great job with the little ladies if they love you that much.' Sirius chuckled. 'Your parents would be proud of you that you're great in nurturing kids.'

'Well, that's one thing to brag about in the next world when our time comes.' Hilda snorted. 'I never dreamed that I'd be good at raising kids considering where I came from.'

'Well, given Petunia's _parenting_ of your cousin, you know what NOT to do as a parent.' Sirius drawled. 'You've seen how she and Vernon raised their kid and how he turned out. Heck, I'm also the product of horrifying parenting skills.'

xxx

Scotland, come sundown...

Hogsmeade...

'Ahhh Hogsmeade! I remember the days I used to go here when I was your age.' said Sirius wistfully as they went to the path leading to Hogwarts. 'Speaking! I should go ask Minnie for a Hogsmeade Form so you can go!'

'What's so interesting about this place anyway?'

'Other than hanging out here, you can also do your shopping here.' said Sirius.

'Ah...'

'There's a Grocery Store here you know.'

'I'll see what it can offer later but it looks so small.' Hilda pouted as they went back to school, to their hidden suite.

Upstairs, it was apparently upgraded into a firing range for a hundred people.

'Wow...Fred and George did a number on this place!' Sirius exclaimed at the Training Room.

'Well, those two know what they're doing.' Hilda chuckled. 'Well, our plan is to begin next year after researching what to teach in our club...my job is Defense, so I'd best get on with it.'

And so, it began, her research on spells and writing things down using a Dictaquill in her parchment. And then getting them printed out in paperback when she was done. She had purchased a Magical Printing Press that cost her 300 Galleons but thankfully using it is easy. She also purchased a Paper-Cutting board so she can make even pages, and skills needed for Book-Binding in thick paperback and NOT leather.

Come May...

'Hey guys, have you done your research?' Hilda asked the twins. 'I've already done mine and the mass-printing.' she said.

'Yeah, done ours too but its all notes and not printed out.' said Fred.

'Well, I've got us a Printing Press here and a Paper-Cutting Board. Making 100 Copies is pure hell let me tell you!' Hilda gasped out. 'I'm sooo tired...'

'Well, good job at any rate, mate!' George grinned. 'It's our turn to use the press now but let's see your format.' he said as the boys checked out her formatting. It was direct to the point and easy to learn. 'Yo George, we have to format ours like this too. Its easy to learn particularly for people who ain't sharp in the head.' Fred took a book to take a look.

'You're right, we got re-writing to do this summer...' the twins went all gloomy.

'Now now, it's not that hard.' Hilda chuckled. 'At the expense of rather sore arms, the payoff is great. As soon as we got prints, we can get started by next school year~'

That, and she has to come back to the Nakiri Mansion this summer...

For now, alone.

xxx

'Hey, where are we going?' Remus asked Sirius.

'Far, faaaar away on a Training Camp in the good ol' mountains!' said Sirius. 'Hilda's schedule is fully-booked due to her research and Amelia gave me a year to get back in shape, so let's hone our rusty war skills back to being polished steel shall we?'

'And what're the books you got with you?'

'Welp, spellbooks. Don't worry, legal.' Sirius grinned. 'Moreover, I got something interesting to tell you about these books...'

xxx

Juggling Sisterhood and Cooking Studies, is definitely NOT easy, Hilda thought as she took the kids out to places, and teaching them more about life by taking them out to camping trips.

However, when 4th Year happened...

She was tasked to design ways to impress the foreign delegates, a challenge she gladly took on. There's French and Scandinavian People incoming, so she was given money...which she used to purchase muggle money...effectively making herself 'stupidly muggle rich', and contacted Tootsuki to ship some goods to her in London 'for her studies'. She thus obtained goods she needed and magically-preserved for when the foreigners come.

'So how is the menu going, Hilda?' Dumbledore asked Hilda as he visited the kitchens...and choked at the sight of crates and sacks. 'Er, I'm sure the money I gave you can't get all that...' he choked out, wide-eyed at the sight.

'You'd be surprised at how goblins treat muggle money.' Hilda drawled. 'When I told them I'll purchase muggle money from them which to them is garbage...they gladly foisted it all on me while still making sure the worth and weight of gold matches. I can then buy all that in the muggle world.' she snorted, pointing at the massive collection of flavorings. 'So yes, this year is enough to impress through the stomach. I just wish we have cute diningware too to complement the tablecloths but alas, funding doesn't extend THAT far...the Ministry is so cheap!' she sighed. 'So I have to make do with what I've got for the first-impressions thingy on their first two days here.'

Living a healthy life while being one hell of a cook and using magic to manipulate her body into producing ideal results made her a very attractive witch with shape to match. She stood at 5'5 slim and slender but firm-and-trim but with an enviable size in the right places.

Sightings of her are extremely rare.

However, when in her civvies, she was easily the most fashionable person in school(since she buys her clothes in Japan). She even changed her hairstyle to a hime-cut but as she has wavy hair, it turned out really great too, complementing her natural looks.

She turns heads without even trying since she was too focused on her goals that the twins find themselves hounded with questions considering they knew her the best, being her testers.

But one October 30, when the foreigners arrived...

The hall was decorated as if they just stepped into a dining event for the wealthy! Everyone felt like they stepped in into another world!

Beautiful draperies and embroideries covered the walls. The normally-gray stone floor was turned white. Tables and chairs are beautifully covered in linens with seating cushions on the long chairs. When there was once armor, statues of beautiful maidens replaced them dressed in greek togas in marble. And napkins on plates folded in a silver square fold.

Dinner was also...highly-classy in courses. And looks like expensive fare in restaurants to boot!

The soundtrack played that night, was Classical Piano Music, greatly impressing the guests.

When dinner ended that night...

'My goodness! Your House Elves have certainly outdone themselves!' Madame Maxime praised, while slightly envying Hogwarts Cuisine.

'Oh no! Its Ms. Potter who cooked the whole thing while assisted by House Elves.' said McGonagall. 'She designed our menu and the Hall Decor!'

'She did all _this_?!' Percy gasped. 'And she's in the kitchens again I presume Professor?'

'When has she _ever_ left the kitchens when classes are over Mr. Weasley?' Snape said wryly. 'To that girl, its her personal playground and everyone knows what she's aiming to be!'

'We got to admit though, we get to eat her tasty toys as you put it!' Professor Burbage said with a beaming smile. 'This is wonderful~!' she squealed.

'You mean a student of yours made these?!' Mr. Crouch gawked. 'I'd say she has a bright future! Tonight's food was absolutely splendid!'

xxx

'Hey guys,' said Hilda to the elves as they washed the dishes. 'I sorta need a favor.'

'Oh, what is it Miss Hilda?' the elves asked her.

'Tonight will be the Choosing of Champions.' said Hilda grimly. 'Considering what we got for the past three years, I'm not taking chances.' she said. 'Make sure my name never falls on that goblet. To any idiot possessing my name to sneak into the goblet, take that paper away and subdue the idiot painfully if you have to!'

'Yes, Missy!'

'Well, I'll go freshen up and attend the event myself...' and she left the kitchens.

xxx

Because Dessert Time takes at least, half an hour to finish, that was enough time for Hilda to take a shower and wear her neatly-pressed uniform since tonight was one post-dinner that Hogwarts Students cannot be in their civvies.

'Yo Hilda!' Fred greeted as the hall decor changed when dinner was over, and the tables cleaned up and vanished. Gone was the Classy Rich People Banquet Theme replaced by Ceremonial Decor. The soundtrack also changed as well(King of Pirates OST - by Thousand Arms)

'Well, not even I would miss the picking of Champions in favor of my kitchen Fred.' Hilda smirked. 'I haven't seen the foreigners yet since I was so busy.'

'Busy.' George snorted. 'Come on mate, time for the big show!'

When Dumbledore stood up again. A pleasant sort of tension seemed to fill the Hall now as the soundtrack vanished.

'The moment has come,' said Dumbledore, smiling around at the sea of upturned faces. 'The Triwizard Tournament is about to start. I would like to say a few words of explanation before we bring in the casket - just to clarify the procedure that we will be following this year. But first, let me introduce, for those who do not know them, Mr. Bartemius Crouch, Head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation,' - there was a smattering of polite applause - '-and Mr. Ludo Bagman, Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports.'

There was a much louder round of applause for Bagman than for Crouch, perhaps because of his fame as a Beater, or simply because he looked so much more likable. He acknowledged it with a jovial wave of his hand. Bartemius Crouch did not smile or wave when his name was announced. Remembering him in his neat suit at the Quidditch World Cup, Harry thought he looked strange in wizard's robes. His toothbrush mustache and severe parting looked very odd next to Dumbledore's long white hair and beard.

'Mr. Bagman and Mr. Crouch have worked tirelessly over the last few months on the arrangements for the Triwizard Tournament,' Dumbledore continued, -and they will be joining myself, Professor Karkaroff, and Madame Maxime on the panel that will judge the champions' efforts.'

At the mention of the word 'champions', the attentiveness of the listening students seemed to sharpen. Perhaps Dumbledore had noticed their sudden stillness, for he smiled as he said, 'The casket, then, if you please, Mr. Filch.'

A new song played as if to emphasize the atmosphere...

(Theme of 5 Commanders OST - by Thousand Arms)

Filch, who had been lurking unnoticed in a far corner of the Hall, now approached Dumbledore carrying a great wooden chest encrusted with jewels. It looked extremely old. A murmur of excited interest rose from the watching students.

'The instructions for the tasks the champions will face this year have already been examined by Mr. Crouch and Mr. Bagman,' said Dumbledore as Filch placed the chest carefully on the table before him, '-and they have made the necessary arrangements for each challenge. There will be three tasks, spaced throughout the school year, and they will test the champions in many different ways.. their magical prowess - their daring - their powers of deduction - and, of course, their ability to cope with danger.'

At this last word, the Hall was filled with a silence so absolute that nobody seemed to be breathing.

'As you know, three champions compete in the tournament,' Dumbledore went on calmly, '-one from each of the participating schools. They will be marked on how well they perform each of the Tournament tasks and the champion with the highest total after task three will win the Triwizard Cup. The champions will be chosen by an impartial selector: the Goblet of Fire.'

Dumbledore now took out his wand and tapped three times upon the top of the casket. Upon which, the song in the hall changed again. (Emperor's Theme: Dark Prelude OST - by Thousand Arms) The lid creaked slowly open. Dumbledore reached inside it and pulled out a large, roughly hewn wooden cup. It would have been entirely unremarkable had it not been full to the brim with dancing blue-white flames.

Dumbledore closed the casket and placed the goblet carefully on top of it, where it would be clearly visible to everyone in the Hall. Only then did the song end.

'Anybody wishing to submit themselves as champion must write their name and school clearly upon a slip of parchment and drop it into the goblet,' said Dumbledore. 'Aspiring champions have twenty-four hours in which to put their names forward. Tomorrow night, Halloween, the goblet will return the names of the three it has judged most worthy to represent their schools. The goblet will be placed in the entrance hall tonight, where it will be freely accessible to all those wishing to compete. To ensure that no underage student yields to temptation,' said Dumbledore, 'I will be drawing an Age Line around the Goblet of Fire once it has been placed in the entrance hall. Nobody under the age of seventeen will be able to cross this line.'

'Finally, I wish to impress upon any of you wishing to compete that this tournament is not to be entered into lightly. Once a champion has been selected by the Goblet of Fire, he or she is obliged to see the tournament through to the end. The placing of your name in the goblet constitutes a binding, magical contract. There can be no change of heart once you have become a champion. Please be very sure, therefore, that you are wholeheartedly prepared to play before you drop your name into the goblet. Now, I think it is time for bed. Good night to you all.'

'An Age Line!' Fred Weasley said, his eyes glinting, as they all made their way across the Hall to the doors into the entrance hall. 'Well, that should be fooled by an Aging Potion, shouldn't it? And once your name's in that goblet, you're laughing - it can't tell whether you're seventeen or not!'

'I'd love to see you guys try.' Hilda snorted. 'Your birthday's in April, you're a couple months too short!'

'Naaaw, we'll bypass that, no problemo!' George grinned confidently.

'Just you wait and see mate!' Fred grinned.


	8. Halloween Special: Tim Burton Style

Halloween Special: Tim Burton Style

That night...

The House Elves were on high alert on orders from Hilda.

When someone came to sneak names in, they checked the names using magic...but when its HER name being put in, they 'beat the tar' out of this mystery person and alarmed all Hogwarts Professors...

Next Morning...

The staff are...strangely absent, bar the Electives Teachers and foreign Headmasters for some reason.

They soon learned the reason why, when the Daily Prophet came with the glaring headlines of, 'FAKE PROFESSOR IN HOGWARTS IMPERSONATING MAD-EYE MOODY! SUPPOSEDLY DEAD DEATH EATER IN DISGUISE, CAUGHT BY HOUSE ELVES!'

Hilda is seen having breakfast in the Great Hall now. As today was Saturday, most students would normally have breakfast late. However, with guests present, they have to impress for one whole year which means waking up as if it's still school thus they all ate breakfast together. When they went down into the entrance hall, they saw about twenty people milling around it, some of them eating toast, all examining the Goblet of Fire. It had been placed in the center of the hall on the stool that normally bore the Sorting Hat. A thin golden line had been traced on the floor, forming a circle ten feet around it in every direction.

'Whoa, nice to see you sitting with us again!' said George as Hilda came for breakfast. When they all got their Daily Prophet copies...several necks looked incredulously at Hilda who inwardly groaned at the attention, not to mention the aftermath the article bore, an article nobody effing liked.

Barty Crouch Jr. intended to use the Tournament to get Hilda in to arrange for her a 'trip' straight to Voldemort himself, to use her blood in a ritual, so all Aurors and Unspeakables armed to the teeth stormed Little Hangleton 'in a bid to end a war nobody wants to happen again'. Too bad for Crouch Jr., Hilda was paranoid and had House Elves guard the Goblet of Fire all night!

And for sneaking his son out, Barty Crouch Sr. was sacked from his position in disgrace, and his son, for reviving the Dark Lord, was sentenced to a Dementor's Kiss. As for the Dark Lord in a rudimentary body?

 _'Like hell that's your business!' Madam Bones snapped in the paper. 'We'll deal with him our way! The last thing we want is another war and Fudge is calling for Execution and we'll damn well do just that!_ '

'Wow Hilda, trouble sure likes you huh?' Fred mused.

'Oh, shaddap Fred!' Hilda huffed. 'Its not like I asked for these whackjobs to annoy me! I'm too focused on my own interests than deal with headaches! And McGonagall put her foot down to make me go out and have a break from the kitchens and enjoy this one year.' Hilda drawled wryly. 'So yes, I'm back here again you jokers.'

Breakfast was a very delicious Chicken Arroz Caldo with chicken meat and onion leaves, two soft-boiled eggs 'bathed' in a glossy brown sauce and Miso Soup with Chai, formulated to wake up sleepy residents through usage of herbs and spices.

The effect was very obvious.

'Man that was great!' Lee smacked his lips. 'You cooking for a whole year is real great Hilda!'

'Why thank you, Jokers!' Hilda beamed at the praise.

'Yeah, been having it dull till lately too.' said Fred.

'Well, the elves were following the recipes of some cook who didn't put in enough effort so its naturally dull as you put it.' Hilda drawled. 'For a couple centuries at that, so I taught them some healthy but delicious stuff to cook that's accessible with school funding. 'Just for now this year, the Ministry went all out to impress the guests and I can buy for the kitchens what's needed in the menu.'

'Ooooh...'

'Anyone put their name in yet?'

'All the Durmstrang lot,' said George. 'But I haven't seen anyone from Hogwarts yet.'

'Bet some of them put it in last night after we'd all gone to bed,' said Hilda as this was their home turf so its natural for them to go ahead first. 'I would've if it had been me...wouldn't have wanted everyone watching. What if the goblet just gobbed you right back out again?'

'At any rate, we're gonna do it.' said Lee.

'Do what?' Hilda asked,

'The Aging Potion, of course!' said Fred.

'One drop each,' said George, rubbing his hands together with glee. 'We only need to be a few months older.'

'We're going to split the thousand Galleons between the three of us if one of us wins,' said Lee, grinning broadly.

Hilda wondered if Lee was in-the-know that the Weasleys are now filthy rich, thanks to Voldemort himself.

'I'm not sure this is going to work, you know,' said Hilda with a snort. 'I'm sure Dumbledore will have thought of this.'

Fred, George, and Lee ignored her.

'Ready?' Fred said to the other two, quivering with excitement. 'C'mon, then - I'll go first -'

Hilda watched, fascinated, as Fred pulled a slip of parchment out of his pocket bearing the words Fred Weasley - Hogwarts. Fred walked right up to the edge of the line and stood there, rocking on his toes like a diver preparing for a fifty-foot drop. Then, with the eyes of every person in the entrance hall upon him, he took a great breath and stepped over the line.

For a split second Hilda thought it had worked - George certainly thought so, for he let out a yell of triumph and leapt after Fred - but next moment, there was a loud sizzling sound, and both twins were hurled out of the golden circle as though they had been thrown by an invisible shot-putter. They landed painfully, ten feet away on the cold stone floor, and to add insult to injury, there was a loud popping noise, and both of them sprouted identical long white beards.

The entrance hall rang with hysterical laughter. Even Fred and George joined in, once they had gotten to their feet and taken a good look at each other's beards.

'I did warn you,' said a deep, amused voice, and everyone turned to see Professor Dumbledore coming out of the Great Hall. He surveyed Fred and George, his eyes twinkling. 'I suggest you both go up to Madam Pomfrey. She is already tending to Miss Fawcett, of Ravenclaw, and Mr. Summers, of Hufflepuff, both of whom decided to age themselves up a little too. Though I must say, neither of their beards is anything like as fine as yours.'

Fred and George set off for the hospital wing, accompanied by Lee, who was howling with laughter.

'Welp, too bad they can't cheat that old antique huh?' Hilda sighed in amusement.

The decorations in the Great Hall had changed this morning. As it was Halloween, it was decorated befitting that of a demon king's palace with creepy dolls and mannequins, as well as puppets for decor. And they occasionally moved. There's also two big, moving ouija boards floating up above the tables, as well as occasional disembodied moanings.

'There's a rumor going around that Warrington got up early and put his name in,' said Dean Thomas. 'That big bloke from Slytherin who looks like a sloth.'

'We can't have a Slytherin champion!'

'And all the Hufflepuffs are talking about Diggory,' said Seamus Finnigan contemptuously. 'But I wouldn't have thought he'd have wanted to risk his good looks.'

Well Hilda thought, there are very few good-looking boys in Hogwarts, with Cedric Diggory being the most popular among them all.

Suddenly, people were cheering out in the entrance hall. They all swiveled around in their seats and saw Angelina Johnson coming into the Hall, grinning in an embarrassed sort of way. A tall black girl who played Chaser on the Gryffindor Quidditch team, Angelina came over to them, sat down, and said, 'Well, I've done it! Just put my name in! I had my birthday last week,' said Angelina.

'Yeah, better you than Pretty-Boy Diggory,' said Seamus, causing several Hufflepuffs passing their table to scowl heavily at him.

The students from Beauxbatons were coming through the front doors from the grounds, among them, the veela-girl. Those gathered around the Goblet of Fire stood back to let them pass, watching eagerly.

Madame Maxime entered the hall behind her students and organized them into a line. One by one, the Beauxbatons students stepped across the Age Line and dropped their slips of parchment into the blue-white flames. As each name entered the fire, it turned briefly red and emitted sparks.

When all the Beauxbatons students had submitted their names, Madame Maxime led them back out of the hall and out onto the grounds again.

Hilda then left the Hall, no longer having any interest in sticking around as she intended to do her own thing, being banned from the kitchens to 'Please go do something a teenage girl would do, you can't be in the kitchens forever!' to quote McGonagall.

'Yeah right, I don't even know how teenage girls behave.' Hilda sighed when she spotted activity by the lake.

The Durmstrang party was walking up toward the castle from the lake. Viktor Krum was walking side by side with Karkaroff, and the other Durmstrang students were straggling along behind them. So she went back to watch.

When they entered the candlelit Great Hall it was almost full. The Goblet of Fire had been moved; it was now standing in front of Dumbledore's empty chair at the teachers' table. Fred and George - clean-shaven again - seemed to have taken their disappointment fairly well.

'Hope it's Angelina, we heard she put her name in.' said Fred.

Its a long wait as the announcements will happen at dinner tonight.

Buuut Hilda has a Halloween Gag as she warned the Headmaster and the Hogwarts Professors, that they enter the Great Hall through Student Entrance just for one night, and to 'adjust' the great hall doors to swing it's doors inside, not outside for a gag so the doors won't hit anyone for her Halloween scare.

xxx

That night come Dinnertime...

The way to the Great Hall, was covered in thorny brambles and the Professors doing nothing as did the Ministry Employees present that day.

Everyone was baffled when the thorny walls disintegrated when everyone was present.

The doors of the Great Hall slammed open loudly inwards, into a pitch-black room.

'D-Dumbledore, something's wrong with your hall...' said Ludo Bagman nervously as everyone bar the Professors, were nervous.

'Now now Ludo, its part of the decor.' Dumbledore smiled as the Hogwarts Professors slowly drifted apart for the big prank on everyone else as suddenly, light shone...on what looks like a sitting, hunchbacked white-haired lady with stringy white hair, her gnarly-bony hands with long, yellowish ugly cracked fingernails sitting on a rotting chair.

'Who the heck is that?!' Sirius cried as everyone made sure to take a look out of curiosity...only to get one hell of a surprise, when she flew out of her chair screaming bloody murder with a bleeding zombie face with yellowing, rotting teeth!

All hell broke loose as everyone screamed in fright and turned to run, but the Great Hall doors slammed shut!

'EEEEKKK!'

When they looked back, the 'Demented Granny' was gone and its all dark again!

'Niiiheeeheeheehee!'

'Uhehehehehehe!'

'Kyahahahaha!'

Demented laughter from hysterical men and women alike echoed in the halls with the source being glow-in-the-dark moving masks that were laughing all over the hall, causing even more fear as suddenly, a bright, greenish-white smoke went POOF! on them quite loudly, getting their attention as a familiar soundtrack to Sirius began playing...when the smoke was gone, light shone on...Jack Skellington! Greenish-white light shone on him even.

"Doggone, scaring the hell out of me..." Sirius sighed, his heart pounding hard. "She did this for sure!"

'Greetings, my diners!' he greeted jovially in a loud, hammy voice, waving his arms flamboyantly. 'Welcome to the Halloween Feast, King of Halloween style!' he boomed with a gentlemanly genuflect that got the muggleborns squealing in approval while half-bloods and purebloods looked utterly baffled. 'Say hello to our diners, everyone!' he cried as he waved his arms open wide, as the darkness was gone, and the Halloween Decor was even more scarier!

All students felt like they stepped into some horror house decorated with torn, tattered cloth and fake spider webs, along with life-sized figures of how objects of fear lined the walls in various poses with some 'made' to stick on the walls in crawling positions. Even the ceiling was 'decorated' with the floating and flying spooks flying above the halls via magic. And instead of candles...what lit the halls up above are bluish-white, floating eyeballs on fire. On the tables adorned with white tablecloth, gold plates and goblets with napkins folded triple-pocket style.

The spooks greeted them with their 'sounds'. How they normally sound on 'a good day', spooking the bejabbers out of the students...and the teachers!

'Goodness gracious!' Madame Maxime exclaimed, startled by the 'greeting'.

'They're not just decor?!' Headmaster Karkaroff gawked.

'Oho! I'd say this is the best Halloween we've got!' Ludo Bagman exclaimed excitedly.

'...where was this when I was still in Hogwarts?' Percy Weasley lamented. He who replaced his boss was eyeing everything critically because International Relationships are on line here but the decor was highly approved of by the students.

'And true to our Halloween Theme, we shall be your servers the whole night! Enjooooy!' and Jack vanished in a greenish-white smoke as the spooks are now magically dressed like waiters and waitresses, but still in a spooky way.

'This is so cool!'

'Best Halloween ever!'

'Potter did this for sure!'

'Yeah, she's the only one other who'd know Jack Skellington!'

The purebloods and half-bloods wondered, 'Who the hell is Jack Skellington?'

'...Albus, who did this hall?' McGonagall gasped out as they and the students marveled at the hall.

'Oho! I'd say Hilda did this!' Sirius cracked up in laughter. 'I wouldn't have known until that character showed up, we watched a muggle movie this summer and Jack's the main character!'

'I'd say she did a dang good job on Halloween!' Flitwick squealed giddily as the muggleborns were most in favor with the decor.

'Oho! Miss Potter did it indeed...well, I did ask her to impress the guests at dinner and I'd say she's highly successful in that regard...' Dumbledore chuckled as the students sat down eagerly as did his staff with him the only one standing. 'Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, ghosts and - most particularly - guests,' said Dumbledore, beaming around at the foreign students. 'I have great pleasure in welcoming you all to Hogwarts. I hope and trust that your stay here will be both comfortable and enjoyable.'

One of the Beauxbatons girls still clutching a muffler around her head gave what was unmistakably a derisive laugh.

'The tournament will be officially opened at the end of the feast,' said Dumbledore. 'I now invite you all to eat, drink, and make yourselves at home!'

Needless to say, food that night, was 'pumpkin themed' for the appetizer, soup and salad, but the desserts...are another story entirely. Dinner that night was given 'By Course'. Labeled on the plates by cards even, handed out by the spooks animated by magic via house elves. When dinner started, the entire cast of Nightmare Before Christmas appeared...as a band with creepy-looking instruments and a bunch of singers up at front and began to sing in musical style...(This is Halloween! Song by NBC) that got most muggleborns damn-near hysterical in glee.

The wizarding people don't quite get what the muggleborns were happy about but its still entertaining.

Appetizer which was presented in a very small bowl, was Stewed Pumpkin and Squid Rings.

Soup was Pureed Pumpkin Soup.

Fish Dish was 'Boneless Mackerel with Buttered Crab Claws'.

Meat Dish was Steak in a very aromatic sauce with corn and mashed potato balls on the side.

Main Dish was Stewed Eel in Thick Tomato Sauce with Polenta on the side.

Salad Dish was Seared Salmon Salad with Seaweed with sliced Soft-boiled Eggs and salad dressing.

Note that the portioned dishes are made to accommodate the two half-giants on the Staff Table.

Dessert...well, Assorted Cakes and Pastries lined up the entire table! Halloween-Themed!

And more songs played while dinner was going on, until after that, its nothing but soundtrack.

The Halloween feast seemed to take much longer than usual. Perhaps because it was their second feast in two days, the students didn't seem to fancy the extravagantly prepared food as much as they would have normally even if it was deliciously-heavenly. Like everyone else in the Hall, judging by the constantly craning necks, the impatient expressions on every face, the fidgeting, and the standing up to see whether Dumbledore had finished eating yet, they simply wanted the plates to clear, and to hear who had been selected as champions. The Daily Prophet Reporters and Photographers were just-as-impatient.

At long last, the golden plates returned to their original spotless state; there was a sharp upswing in the level of noise within the Hall, which died away almost instantly as Dumbledore got to his feet. On either side of him, Professor Karkaroff and Madame Maxime looked as tense and expectant as anyone. Ludo Bagman was beaming and winking at various students.

'Well, the goblet is almost ready to make its decision,' said Dumbledore. 'I estimate that it requires one more minute. Now, when the champions' names are called, I would ask them please to come up to the top of the Hall, walk along the staff table, and go through into the next chamber,' - he indicated the door behind the staff table - '-where they will be receiving their first instructions.'

He took out his wand and gave a great sweeping wave with it; at once, all the candles except those inside the carved pumpkins were extinguished, plunging them into a state of semidarkness. The Goblet of Fire now shone more brightly than anything in the whole Hall, the sparkling bright, bluey-whiteness of the flames almost painful on the eyes. Everyone watched, waiting...A few people kept checking their watches...

'Any second,' Lee Jordan whispered, two seats away from Hilda.

The flames inside the goblet turned suddenly red again. Sparks began to fly from it. Next moment, a tongue of flame shot into the air, a charred piece of parchment fluttered out of it - the whole room gasped.

Dumbledore caught the piece of parchment and held it at arm's length, so that he could read it by the light of the flames, which had turned back to blue-white.

'The champion for Durmstrang,' he read, in a strong, clear voice, '-will be Viktor Krum.'

'No surprises there!' yelled Ron Weasley as a storm of applause and cheering swept the Hall. Hilda saw Viktor Krum rise from the Slytherin table and slouch up toward Dumbledore; he turned right, walked along the staff table, and disappeared through the door into the next chamber.

'Bravo, Viktor!' boomed Karkaroff, so loudly that everyone could hear him, even over all the applause. 'Knew you had it in you!'

The clapping and chatting died down. Now everyone's attention was focused again on the goblet, which, seconds later, turned red once more. A second piece of parchment shot out of it, propelled by the flames.

'The champion for Beauxbatons,' said Dumbledore, '-is Fleur Delacour!'

A girl who so resembled a veela got gracefully to her feet, shook back her sheet of silvery blonde hair, and swept up between the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables.

The remainder of the Beauxbatons party looked disappointed. Disappointed, was a bit of an understatement. Two of the girls who had not been selected had dissolved into tears and were sobbing with their heads on their arms.

When Fleur Delacour too had vanished into the side chamber, silence fell again, but this time it was a silence so stiff with excitement you could almost taste it. The Hogwarts champion next...

And the Goblet of Fire turned red once more; sparks showered out of it; the tongue of flame shot high into the air, and from its tip Dumbledore pulled the third piece of parchment.

'The Hogwarts champion,' he called, '-is Cedric Diggory!'

The uproar from the next table was too great. Every single Hufflepuff had jumped to his or her feet, screaming and stamping, as Cedric made his way past them, grinning broadly, and headed off toward the chamber behind the teachers' table. Indeed, the applause for Cedric went on so long that it was some time before Dumbledore could make himself heard again.

'Excellent!' Dumbledore called happily as at last the tumult died down. 'Well, we now have our three champions. I am sure I can count upon all of you, including the remaining students from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, to give your champions every ounce of support you can muster. By cheering your champion on, you will contribute greatly by supporting your school by supporting your champion! Off you go now students, while we proceed with the Tournament's Procedure in the next chamber.'

Dinner was thus, over.


	9. Culinary Issues and Festive Excitements

Culinary Issues and Festive Excitements

Madam Pomfrey had elf-called Hilda that weekend.

Days have passed since the Choosing of Champions.

Being barred from the Kitchens, Hilda took to staying at the Firing Range.

'Hilda, I've begun to check on the students who graduated this year as well as those currently staying...I'm amazed.' said Madam Pomfrey. 'I've never seen such health levels ever since I took this job in Hogwarts.' she said, glancing happily at her records. 'So this is the fruit of your research?'

'Of course.' said Hilda. 'The food in this school is appalling and disgusting. Too oily, greasy and fatty as well as too much condiment flavorings it overwhelmed the natural taste of food when condiments are supposed to 'flatter', not 'smother' food. I'm surprised students here aren't obese nor any adult here having High-Blood Pressure or worse, Diabetes. Maybe its because we're magic we're spared that fate.' she snorted. 'Students, particularly girls who are watching their weight to keep looking good eat so little that in turn, they slit their own throats thru malnutrition. As in, 'I have to diet, nobody will like to date a fat girl' just as boys would think 'no girl would like a pudgy guy'. Its all instinctual in our heads.'

'And given where I came from, I pored over nutrition books in the Muggle World, and I experimented in the kitchens in my first year, and created my healthy dishes and taught them to the House Elves.' Hilda taught her. 'Poor guys, made to create subpar dishes that leads eaters one step closer to the grave...well, they have had incompetent teachers who taught them those vile things. And much of the school food budget ended up going to condiments more than actual food itself and I asked you to spike the drinks with Nutritional Potions to make up for it all, that every time we eat, we heal from malnutrition and cleaning our insides of too much oil and what else clogging our organs.'

'Well, I can see how much better off we are now...I felt much stronger and more energetic since.' said Madam Pomfrey happily. 'And when I showed these results to St. Mungo's, they asked you for help as well.'

'My services ain't cheap.' said Hilda. 'Moreover have they even gotten Sirius' permission for me to work in their kitchens?'

'Well, he sent me a letter with the Black Family stamp...' Madam Pomfrey gave Hilda the letter.

 _Pup,_

 _I got wind last night that Madam Pomfrey assessed the_  
 _health of students in school since you took over the kitchens_  
 _and I must say, where the heck were you in our era? I wanna_  
 _cry!_

 _At least Dolly and Biffy knows your dishes so me and Moony_  
 _can catch up somehow, but daaaamn...Poppy's singing praises_  
 _about your work as she has never seen such health levels..._  
 _bloody hell pup! Then again when I saw the brats, I made a_  
 _comparison. In my era to your era...even an idiot can tell._

 _I've given my permission to let you work in St. Mungo's_  
 _Kitchens to vamp up their menu._

 _Padfoot_

'Well, that's permission enough...I'm charging St. Mungo's 5000 Galleons.'

'HUH?! That's more than what the Tri-Wizard Champions would get!'

'If you ask me that's way too cheap for their lives, the Ministries should have made the prize 10000 Galleons at minimum for the Champion to pay much of that to the nearest hospital.' said Hilda flatly. 'How soon do I leave?'

xxx

The new food in Hogwarts indeed, has an effect on the students ever since after Christmas Break in Hilda's First Year.

Its deliciousness they never had before, without it being 'too flavored'. They could actually eat it!

Predicting the want and need for seconds, the Elves always make a lot. Combine it with medicinally-spiked drinks at night, they heal every day from Malnutrition. And giving the body much-needed nutrition to develop properly.

The Yin Diet for five years, and Yang Diet for the remaining two.

Understandably, with magic at play, it affected growth and looks via hormones while still healing the body. Girls grew into their looks while boys were also gaining effeminate looks on their faces. Boys who actually have the assets gained 'pretty boy' looks while girls grew to maidenhood in looks and shape. Not only that, with Oily Fish and sources of Omega3s in food, it did wonders as well to one's mental health. So grades improved and when guys beefed up for masculinity...

But the most affected, was Hilda's yearmates because they started young.

Developments varied depending on one's potential in genetics that puberty happened in third year that parents had to give their kids the talk at home.

However, after Hogwarts, the kids could only choke at 'homecooking', having gotten used to delicious Hogwarts' food. The muggleborns fared better as their mothers never 'overflavor food' at home. This caused quite the problems at home that wizarding children cannot stand food at home, preferring Hogwarts Food.

That gave Dumbledore quite the trouble actually, when parents marched to the school wanting to know why their children cannot stand food all of a sudden.

He doesn't know what was wrong, other than Hilda teaching the Elves new food.

So they went to Hogwarts Kitchens to make the elves talk, that they got the rationale behind the food issues and why their kids could no longer stand food that wasn't Hogwarts Cooking.

Indeed, even a simple soup was mind-blowing delicious.

'We've been enjoying food ever since Hilda began cooking and taught the House Elves...that girl is a genius in this field.' said McGonagall. 'Her Full Course Meal is worth 17 Galleons in the Muggle World as wealthy muggles willingly pay that much in their restaurants. Their cooks have the freedom to charge appropriately for their dishes based on presentation on the plates and taste.'

However, Hilda couldn't be found that easily during the Summer. The only reason they found her, was when Sirius Black escaped Azkaban for justice and she was friends with the Weasley Twins, and she was living in a gorgeous apartment near a Police Station.

They were able to talk to her in how can they make their kids eat at home that the problem, was actually so simple! So Hilda had to teach housewives...and family elves how to cook REAL British Food without the smothering of too much condiments. But she never did any sausage-related dishes, due to simply disliking it.

Bedfordshire Clanger. Cobbler. Beef Wellington. The pies of Britain, Faggots, English Breakfast, Eel Kabayaki(Hilda despised Jellied Eels), Lancashire Hotpot, Liver, Bacon and Onion, types of Pasties, Types of Puddings, Roasted British Dishes, Panackelty, Scouse, and types of breads and cakes, as well as how to make sauces.

She cooked all these dishes without condiments and 'how it was NORMALLY COOKED' without making it oily and greasy that the women and elves can taste the glaring difference. That they can actually taste food itself and other ingredients and it no longer has the 'heaviness' they've known for years.

'Your kids despise too much flavorings, and now favor the natural flavors of food.' said Hilda. 'As kids, our tongues are very sensitive but in time, can be weaned as well.' she told them. 'Remember, condiments only flatter like how we women wear perfume. We do NOT smother food with too much condiments! Now, your test at home, is how to make these dishes your own. You are to figure out your family tastes without the smothering effects, and your kids will eat at home again. Figure out the favorable formula of condiment application at home. Its a trial-and-error stuff but you know you hit the jackpot if your kids like it.'

And now the problem was the Food Establishments of British Magical Alleys who lost customers, unable to bear their food all of a sudden, so Hilda has to deal with them too.

Her summer prior to Third Year, had been very busy.

She taught the Leaky Cauldron Bar Fare, and improved other restaurants(and their prices) as well she ended up Stagiaring all over the place except for Knockturn Alley where her invisible bodyguards forbade her from going into as it was a dangerous place.

So British Food Quality improved by leaps.

The sole problem left, was the Ministry Cafeteria itself! The Ministry Employees whined at Fudge that most of them can't go out to eat due to their workloads and when they DO have time, everywhere was jam-packed! And the Cafeteria Employees also complained nobody goes there anymore, so Aurors had to take an exasperated Hilda to fix the Ministry Cafeteria too...and the Auror Academy Cafeteria for that matter.

After tackling budget issues for what to buy for the cafeteria and plan menus for optimal nutrition, the Ministry can finally enjoy good food...after the Cafeteria is very protected against spiking attempts on food and detecting harmful substances that enter the cafeteria and kitchens on which, Bodyguard Elves that only answer to the DMLE Director will find and subdue the person painfully, and take them to the Aurors. That way, employees can safely eat and drink.

Well, a final issue cropped up that was no longer Hilda's problem.

Overspending on food because food now became synonymous with pleasure in Magical Britain.

xxx

After dealing with St. Mungo's for a week, was the first round of the Tournament.

Champions against...Dragons!

"I'm glad I'm not in there!" Hilda gulped nervously. She was glad for her paranoia now!

The champions somehow got off with minimal injury but that's 7th Years for you, she supposed.

After the show was over, the event was the talk of the whole school...while she was upstairs as usual.

The start of December brought wind and sleet to Hogwarts. Drafty though the castle always was in winter. Hilda was glad of its fires and thick walls every time he passed the Durmstrang ship on the lake, which was pitching in the high winds, its black sails billowing against the dark skies. She thought the Beauxbatons caravan was likely to be pretty chilly too. Hagrid, she noticed, was keeping Madame Maxime's horses well provided with their preferred drink of single-malt whiskey; the fumes wafting from the trough in the comer of their paddock was enough to make the entire Care of Magical Creatures class light-headed. This was unhelpful, as they were still tending the horrible skrewts and needed their wits about them.

'I'm not sure whether they hibernate or not,' Hagrid told the shivering class in the windy pumpkin patch next lesson. 'Thought we'd jus' try an see if they fancied a kip...we'll jus' settle 'em down in these boxes...'

There were now only ten skrewts left; apparently their desire to kill one another had not been exercised out of them. Each of them was now approaching six feet in length. Their thick gray armor; their powerful, scuttling legs; their fire-blasting ends; their stings and their suckers, combined to make the skrewts the most repulsive things Hilda had ever seen. The class looked dispiritedly at the enormous boxes Hagrid had brought out, all lined with pillows and fluffy blankets.

'We'll jus' lead 'em in here,' Hagrid said, 'An' put the lids on, and we'll see what happens.'

But the skrewts, it transpired, did not hibernate, and did not appreciate being forced into pillow-lined boxes and nailed in. Hagrid was soon yelling, 'Don panic, now, don' panic!' while the skrewts rampaged around the pumpkin patch, now strewn with the smoldering wreckage of the boxes. Most of the class - Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle in the lead - had fled into Hagrid's cabin through the back door and barricaded themselves in; Hilda and some students, however, were among those who remained outside trying to help Hagrid. Together they managed to restrain and tie up nine of the skrewts, though at the cost of numerous burns and cuts; finally, only one skrewt was left.

'Don' frighten him, now!' Hagrid shouted as Ron and Hilda used their wands to shoot jets of fiery sparks at the skrewt, which was advancing menacingly on them, its sting arched, quivering, over its back. 'Jus' try an slip the rope 'round his sting, so he won hurt any o' the others!'

'Yeah, we wouldn't want that!' Ron shouted angrily as he and Harry backed into the wall of Hagrid's cabin, still holding the skrewt off with their sparks and an unwanted guest in Skeeter that Hilda signaled to a hidden elf to boot her out of the castle, memory modified.

Sometime later, at the end of Transfiguration...

'I have something to say to you all.' said Professor McGonagall. 'The Yule Ball is approaching - a traditional part of the Triwizard Tournament and an opportunity for us to socialize with our foreign guests. Now, the ball will be open only to fourth years and above - although you may invite a younger student if you wish -'

Lavender Brown let out a shrill giggle. Parvati Patil nudged her hard in the ribs, her face working furiously as she too fought not to giggle.

'Dress robes will be worn,' Professor McGonagall continued, '-and the ball will start at eight o'clock on Christmas Day, finishing at midnight in the Great Hall. Now then -'

Professor McGonagall stared deliberately around the class.

'The Yule Ball is of course a chance for us all to - er - let our hair down,' she said, in a disapproving voice.

Lavender giggled harder than ever, with her hand pressed hard against her mouth to stifle the sound. They could see what was funny this time: Professor McGonagall, with her hair in a tight bun, looked as though she had never let her hair down in any sense.

'But that does NOT mean,' Professor McGonagall went on, '-that we will be relaxing the standards of behavior we expect from Hogwarts students. I will be most seriously displeased if a Gryffindor student embarrasses the school in any way.'

The bell rang, and there was the usual scuffle of activity as everyone packed their bags and swung them onto their shoulders.

'Christmas Ball. Huh.'

'You don't sound too enthusiastic, Potter.' said Lavender.

'Well, I'd rather do something else, but Padfoot said I should attend the ball, then go home for holidays the day after when I write my name down soon. I'm not even interested in these sort of things.'

'Jeez, liven up! We're young only once and aren't you looking forward to dancing with those masculine hunks from Durmstrang or those handsome guys from Beauxbatons?'

'Not sure about the hype, though I get enough nagging from McGonagall on how I can't behave like a normal teenage girl and working too hard at my age...'

'Potter, anyone with common sense will berate you.' said Parvati Patil wryly. 'You're wasting your youth, is the problem here!'

So says the masses.

Hilda sighed.

So yeah, she'll very reluctantly attend the dance.

But!

'Fine. But if nobody asks me out, I'll cheerfully go home and continue my precious research!'

'You're impossible!'

xxx

The last week of term became increasingly boisterous as it progressed. Rumors about the Yule Ball were flying everywhere, though Hilda didn't believe half of them - for instance, that Dumbledore had bought eight hundred barrels of mulled mead from Madam Rosmerta. It seemed to be fact, however, that he had asked her what music is befitting to open the ball, before having various musical songs play in the background. She had to carefully choose songs that weren't TOO obvious that they came from video games! At least not much issues with classical music and disney songs...

Hilda was appalled at the standards of so-called music in Britain that to avoid offending anybody, she settled for classical music, and various soundtracks from video games from Japan, getting permission to travel there to make magical gramophone disks.

Some of the teachers, like little Professor Flitwick, gave up trying to teach them much when their minds were so clearly elsewhere; he allowed them to play games in his lesson on Wednesday. Other teachers were not so generous. Nothing would ever deflect Professor Binns, for example, from plowing on through his notes on goblin rebellions - as Binns hadn't let his own death stand in the way of continuing to teach, they supposed a small thing like Christmas wasn't going to put him off. It was amazing how he could make even bloody and vicious goblin riots sound as boring as possible. Professors McGonagall and the REAL Moody kept them working until the very last second of their classes too, and Snape, of course, would no sooner let them play games in class than get in the festive mood. Staring nastily around at them all, he informed them that he would be testing them on poison antidotes during the last lesson of the term.

'Evil, he is,' Ron Weasley can be heard bitterly that night in the Gryffindor common room. 'Springing a test on us on the last day. Ruining the last bit of term with a whole load of studying.'

That December when students are told about the ball, chaos ensued as well.

One word: Puberty.

Boys were quickly aiming for the best-looking girls who stayed for the Yule Ball.

They were thinking with their lower heads.

Between French Beauties and Shapely British Girls, they have little time as boys outnumbered girls.

Because 3rd Year Students are not allowed that the younger years all chose to go home than stick around school for much longer, only those interested in the Yule Ball stayed though some older years chose to go home as well.

Hilda felt she would have had the same freedom, if she wasn't perceived as a workaholic and ahem, 'forced to do teenage stuff' by EVERYBODY. Thus she was obliged to be on the dance floor thus started to be seen in hopes of being asked out on a date by someone.

That was after planning the Yule Ball Decor for the night, and the menus, now that she obtained Molecular Gastronomy Knowledge, thanks to little Alice.

The House Tables were turned into Buffet Tables, and when the student population in Hogwarts is counted, the teachers planned the number of round tables and seat numbers in fancy cloth and seat cover 'dressmaking'.

She eventually got asked out by Viktor Krum of all people when he found her alone.

'Hello. Haff you gotten a date yet?' he asked her politely, but hopefully.

'Not yet.' said Hilda. 'I just started looking for anyone who'd ask me out.'

'Then vood you go out with me?'

'Sure! Let's just hope nobody finds out until the big day...'

'Vhere vill I pick you up at then?'

'Let's meet at where the Champions will come out with their dates...any idea where that is?'


	10. The Yule Ball

The Yule Ball

Despite the very heavy load of homework that the fourth years had been given for the holidays. Hilda finished her workload quickly to spend the week leading up to Christmas enjoying herself as fully as possible along with everyone else while planning out the Yule Ball.

Gryffindor Tower was hardly less crowded now than during term-time; it seemed to have shrunk slightly too, as its inhabitants were being so much rowdier than usual. Fred and George had had a great success with their Canary Creams, and for the first couple of days of the holidays, people kept bursting into feather all over the place. Before long, however, all the Gryffindors had learned to treat food anybody else offered them with extreme caution, in case it had a Canary Cream concealed in the center, and George confided to Hilda that he and Fred were now working on developing something else. Hilda was glad she has a prank-free guarantee, being the one who helped their family gain immense wealth and helped Ginny.

Snow was falling thickly upon the castle and its grounds now. The pale blue Beauxbatons carriage looked like a large, chilly, frosted pumpkin next to the iced gingerbread house that was Hagrid's cabin, while the Durmstrang ship's portholes were glazed with ice, the rigging white with frost. The house-elves down in the kitchen were outdoing themselves.

Everyone in the common room was much too busy in letting off more holiday steam to observe what anyone else was up to.

Christmas couldn't come soon enough.

The Great Hall was 'a NO ENTRY' venue because Hilda was leading the Elven Brigade with decorations as they took out pristine-white and richly-colored fabrics to dress the hall with, after the elves scrubbed the Great Hall clean top to bottom, and the Professors formed a united front to transform the Great Hall under her guidance into beautiful, smooth white walls with a gorgeous marble floor.

After that, Hilda took some short nap, before assigning an elf to wake her up at 4 o'clock so she could get ready for the ball.

xxx

The common room looked strange, full of people wearing different colors instead of the usual mass of black. The girls are all dolled up before leaving with their dates. The fourth year girls excitedly went out but Hilda who was among them vanished instantly.

The entrance hall was packed with students too, all milling around waiting for eight o'clock, when the doors to the Great Hall would be thrown open. Those people who were meeting partners from different Houses were edging through the crowd trying to find one another.

That, and they're also checking out the Champions and who are their dates.

Fleur Delacour was passing, looking stunning in robes of silver-gray satin, and accompanied by the Ravenclaw Quidditch captain, Roger Davies.

When they had disappeared, a group of Slytherins came up the steps from their dungeon common room. Malfoy was in front; he was wearing dress robes of black velvet with a high collar, which made him look like a vicar. Pansy Parkinson in very frilly robes of pale pink was clutching Malfoy's arm. Crabbe and Goyle were both wearing green; they resembled moss-colored boulders, and neither of them had managed to find a partner.

The oak front doors opened, and everyone turned to look as the Durmstrang students entered with Professor Karkaroff. Krum was at the front of the party, accompanied by...Hilda Potter, causing lots of whisperings because for the girl who was usually in casual shirts, jeans and sneakers, she looked utterly gorgeous in her dress, chosen for her by Nakiri Leonora. It was a gorgeous purple and white halter-backless dress that flattered her figure with long gloves, and her hair in an updo with kanzashi combs and pins in the right places. She also wore jewelry that protected her and long gloves. By the sides of her face by her ears, were soft ringlets. On her face was flattering make-up befitting her age and her teeth very clean and straightened for the day. Viktor looked happy he got a date who outshined other dates.

Over their heads he saw that an area of lawn right in front of the castle had been transformed into a sort of grotto full of fairy lights - meaning hundreds of actual living fairies were sitting in the rosebushes that had been conjured there, and fluttering over the statues of what seemed to be Father Christmas and his reindeer.

Then Professor McGonagall's voice called, 'Champions over here, please!'

Professor McGonagall, who was wearing dress robes of red tartan and had arranged a rather ugly wreath of thistles around the brim other hat, told them to wait on one side of the doors while everyone else went inside; they were to enter the Great Hall in procession when the rest of the students had sat down. Fleur Delacour and Roger Davies stationed themselves nearest the doors; Davies looked so stunned by his good fortune in having Fleur for a partner that he could hardly take his eyes off her. Cedric and Cho were close to Viktor and Hilda too.

When the doors to the Great Hall opened, Krum's fan club from the library stalked past, throwing Hilda looks of deepest loathing and girl in question ignored them with expertise. Pansy Parkinson gaped at her as she walked by with Malfoy, and even he didn't seem to be able to find an insult to throw at her. In fact, he will never admit it, but Hilda Potter, was sexy!

Once everyone else was settled in the Hall, Professor McGonagall told the champions and their partners to get in line in pairs and to follow her. They did so, and everyone in the Great Hall applauded as they entered and started walking up toward a large round table at the top of the Hall, where the judges were sitting.

The Great Hall was utterly gorgeous.

The Daily Prophet had taken photos before the event started. It was hard to believe a 4th Year Student came up with these designs.

Dumbledore smiled happily as the champions approached the top table, but Karkaroff wore a stoic expression as he watched Krum and Hilda draw nearer. Ludo Bagman, tonight in robes of bright purple with large yellow stars, was clapping as enthusiastically as any of the students; and Madame Maxime, who had changed her usual uniform of black satin for a flowing gown of lavender silk, was applauding them politely. Percy Weasley dressed smartly for the occasion as well. Percy, who was wearing brand-new, navy-blue dress robes and an expression of such smugness that Hilda thought it ought to be fined. Then again...since the Weasleys came into big money via Basilisk, he could easily afford new things.

There was no food as yet on the glittering golden plates, but small menus were lying in front of each of them. And with the buffet tables, its easy to tell that food will be transported to them instantly and Dumbledore set the example, asking for Pork Chops.

And pork chops appeared. Getting the idea, the rest of the table placed their orders with their plates too.

'Vonderful as always, Miss Potter,' said Viktor, pleased with the food. Its plating was artsy.

'I take pride with my work Mister Krum, I never half-ass anything out of pride.' Hilda winked playfully.

'Makes me vonder who'd be lucky with you in zis country, you're formidable in da kitchens.'

'Well assuming I do find someone anyway.' said Hilda airily. 'As a fellow celebrity, you'd understand how hard it'd be to find a girlfriend just as how hard it is for me to get a guy.'

'Yah, I feel you.' Viktor griped. 'I can see we got similar problems.'

'Its why I make myself real hard to find!' they talked more about their issues as celebrities and how they see it which was why they had trouble socializing and preferring to keep to themselves, effectively getting along like a house on fire.

When all the food had been consumed, Dumbledore stood up and asked the students to do the same. Then, with a wave of his wand, all the tables zoomed back along the walls leaving the floor clear, and then he conjured a raised platform into existence along the right wall. An Orchestra of instruments controlled by dolls appeared as well. Time for the Champions to lead the dance!

The opening song was to her plans and as much as she hated to admit it, she had fun.

When they tired of dancing, they took to eating some more and settled for talking.

xxx

Upon leaving the Great Hall, they came upon Sirius Black.

'Padfoot!' Hilda gasped out as Sirius came with a camera.

'Just in time! I'm going to take a photo since Lenny's asking for a photo of you and your date since you couldn't be home for the Hols!' Sirius exclaimed. 'Never thought you'd be on a date with Viktor Krum, your father would be happy being a Quidditch nut himself!' he said with a beaming smile. 'Now smile for the Photo!'

'Yeah yeah...' she and Viktor smiled for the photo. 'Say hi to the kids for me!'

'Yeah, see you tomorrow Hilda!' and Sirius was gone.

'...the kids?' Viktor blinked.

'Well, some kids sorta adopted me as their big sister figure...'

xxx

Next day...

Hilda packed for home right after breakfast.

'Whoa, why are you packing up, girl? I mean, isn't it too late to go home?'

'Not if my chaperone paid for some Portkeys...' said Hilda, packing up the last of her stuff. Needless to say, people talked about it.

That Hilda was Viktor Krum's date and how she looked at the ball. And the Daily Prophet is NOT helping one bit with its commentary over the ball.

And in Japan...

'Your date for the ball uh...looks like a bird of prey.' was Alice's blunt statement as they saw pictures.

Of the Great Hall Hilda worked on(without people present), the food, and Hilda and her date.

'Ahahaha, not everyone's born good-looking Alice.' said Hilda as they sat together in the living room on bean bag chairs. 'Demo ne ladies and one gent,' she said looking at Erina, Alice, Hisako and Ryou in that order, '...good looks aren't everything in relationships because what matters the most, is their personalities and how much they care for you and your well-being and happiness. Those traits are what you must look for in friends, boyfriends and girlfriends. If they're after you for your fame, money and out of usefulness via family resources or connections, _dump them_.' she said, making a line across her neck with her thumb and using the same thumb to do a thumbs-down. 'They are not worth you.'

She instilled that lesson in them strongly.

'Hai~!'

'So, got a boyfriend in school Hilda?' Alice asked her excitedly.

'Nope. Not interested in Romance right now or anything, not when I got plans...' Hilda snorted. 'In Romance, factors are in account...attraction, the fact two people care for each other and can see each other lovingly happy for years. Sometimes you meet a guy and a girl. Sometimes you and them are not meant to be until you meet the one just for you.'

'Ooh...'

'You'll understand that when you're my age, twerps.'

xxx

The year went by without incident as Hilda hopes for.

But she felt that this is not yet over. Not by a long shot.

Suuure Voldemort's Rudimentary Body was tossed into the Veil of Death Sirius told her about after tossing Barty Jr. in there.

At school, Viktor who was a Quidditch Self-Made Man talked to Hilda, a Culinary Genius famous in Britain for many reasons now...but at least she was respected for her culinary skills and magical britain enjoyed delicious foods. Well, almost all of Magical Britain...families with kids in Hogwarts can no longer stand 'overly-flavored for compensation' foods.

'Frankly I think it's only because they're magical that they haven't had health issues.' said Hilda to Viktor. 'Had they been a muggle, they'll be on Hospital for vulnerable susceptibility to Hypertension that in turn leads to a Heart Attack at a young age! Condiments are very salty and greasy is self-explanatory!'

Viktor took note that his date and later - friend - was very health conscious without depriving herself somehow and still eats as much as she wants. She cooks food at their most natural and little usage of condiments. For flavors, she compensates with herbs and spices instead, with little soy sauce and if using oil, Olive Oil. Preferably the expensive Virgin one. But she's mastered all ingredients and condiments beforehand, and periodically flushes herself with homemade medication to get rid of unwanted cholesterol in her body before living with Olive, Canola and Flaxseed Oil cooking.

Muggles are complicated, but without magic, they more than made up for it, he thought. And a healthy lifestyle indeed, had an impact on Hilda more than her peers as she always eats her own cooking that...well...she's definitely 'healthy'. She was slim and slender, but with a very feminine shape most girls would kill to have out of envy and she'll be more in three years from now.

When the school term ended with the other two tasks having to be changed because of Barty Jr., the winner was Viktor Krum, much to the celebration of Durmstrang while Hogwarts and Beauxbatons weren't happy, but took losing with grace.

'It'll be OWL year soon pup...have you have good grades?' Remus asked as the Marauding Family went home.

'Yes. Given the career offers...which sucks...so I only ever bothered to get OWL-Entry Grades in subjects that's useful for a living. If all goes well, I might pull a grandpa.' Sirius and Remus sharply turned to look at Hilda in shock.

''Pull a grandpa'? You mean you designed a potion like Grandpa Fleamont?!'

'It's a prototype for now but I'll make the full-fledged finished product just to ensure there's no unwanted effects...' said Hilda. 'If grandpa aimed for irksome hair, my target is vanity next.' she grinned. 'Never underestimate cosmetic vanity.'

xxx

Japan...

If not visiting the Nakiris, they were at home, with Hilda experimenting in a Potions Lab. She created two types. Good for muggles and magicals. While for muggles it will understandably take time to show full results, for magicals, it will take three days to work, but if they keep doing bad habits...she would rake in money.

The stuff she needs are in Asia. Not available in Europe.

So she'll have to do special orders come next year as she's underage, she cannot build her own company just yet. But she CAN patent it!

She called her product, 'Maiden's Return'. A potion that if drunk one bottle a week, a woman will have firm, supple skin and lose all wrinkles and for sagging skin to shrink as well as losing age spots over time until she looks as if she's 20 years old again.

By next year, she asked Madam Pomfrey to test it for her and by jove! She was young again!

The slogan was, 'get beauty back, but it doesn't mean you turned back time!' Your body remains the age you are. The only thing that went youthful, is the skin! And the Potion's effects...depends on your diet! Eat healthy to maximize benefits buuut if you have a horrible diet full of junk, it has bare-minimum results. Due to ingredient cost and effort as it takes a week to complete, 20 Galleons a bottle to break even!

So she purchased seven House Elves delegated to Potions' Making and was on 'Special Orders basis' and living proof of her potions was Madam Pomfrey herself, being a Healer and as part of their jobs, a Healer always tests newly-invented medications before reporting to St. Mungo's with a Memory Pensieve to watch. And Hilda will undergo a small questioning about her product with Veritaserum, but they are not allowed to ask how it was made. All they know is that it takes a week to be fully mature because there was fermentation involved. The only hint they're allowed to get as Potioneers keep their recipes publicly secret until their deaths and then their recipes will finally be published on updated Potions Books.

That naturally...hit the news.

Hilda's only sole goal in life, was to be famous for her OWN merits. Not painful eternal reminders about her family.


	11. Years from now

Years from now

When 5th Year came...

Puberty happened.

Well, Hogwarts has had a healthier diet for years...but alas, it all depends on genetics' generosity at any rate. Not unless you have help with supplements, stuff muggleborn girls have access to if they were smart enough to think of it...and so does Hilda, a half-blood who grew up solely in the muggle world. With her interference, Hogwarts ate vegetables, herbs with spices, and seafood with seaweed during daytime and warm soups, spice-seasoned marinated meats and eggy feasts at night and everyone is obliged to eat a lot during lunch and dinner.

But at home, these kids eat typical British Fare as Hogwarts Elves are trained hard in Hogwarts' Cuisine, moms and family elves aren't.

But still, families are always surprised to see their kids go home different than last time they saw them.

This year was also cause for ahem, being naughty during nighttimes, last Hilda checked, much to her exasperation.

She did NOT help them to grow beautiful for THAT!

In the meantime, she trained herself to be able to fight against Joichirou.

She studied what Tootsuki's Pantry has to offer. International goodies. Psychometry. Tasting and cooking them in various ways to bring out their best in appropriate situations, unwittingly ending up learning a style only Joichirou created and two others know. Read books on cooking techniques and terminology and studying cooking machines and training alongside the children.

And occasionally doing things children do.

One day, in her shared flat in London with the Marauders...

She encountered the boy with Joichirou.

'Oh hey! No baka this time?' Hilda asked him, coming home from shopping.

'Nah, not this time...' said Asahi with a sad smile. 'I can't see him anymore, Hilda.' he said.

'Oh yeah, about that...I heard from Headmaster Nakiri that Joe's wife died from a heart valve defect since birth...so he can't really leave his kid alone not to mention Joe's got it worse.'

'Worse?'

'Yeah...he enjoyed traveling a lot...he had severe wanderlust he couldn't stay in one place. It drives him nuts.' said Hilda softly. 'Yet he married and had a kid. He talks to them on the phone and visits on birthdays and christmas holidays but his sole regret was not spending enough time with his wife and son years too late, and returned to a house with a big hole in it.' she explained. 'In his younger days...he got fed up with cooking because people demanded more and more of him, only ate like gluttons yet never appreciated his effort and hard work and demanded he makes his dishes better than the last one. He disappeared from Tootsuki and never graduated but he retained his reputation as one of the world's best.' she said.

'His wife was the only one who helped him move on and overcome that bitterness and brought his icy cold heart out of darkness and gave him warmth that he lost.' Hilda finished. 'She was his world yet his wanderlust was stronger than his love...and now, she's gone forever with no idea how to raise his son as she did most of the raising but at least he knew responsibility...' she sighed. 'He's teetering between gloomy and staying strong. For now, he's gotta do what he's gotta do.'

'...'

'You'll see him again someday but right now...noooot an option.' Hilda shook her head. 'He needs alone time.'

'Alright. But still...he was a father I wanted. He gave me what I hungered for.' said Asahi in grief. 'I got a bitchy drunkard mother who hated my guts all my life and blaming me for her misery and died of liver shit when I was seven and I ended up in an orphanage in North America.' he chuckled bitterly. 'It's not my fault she spread her legs. Naturally doing that results in a kid.' he scoffed derisively before looking up at the sky. 'Many times, I wondered who my father is. Why he left her and didn't take me with him and left me with that bitch. The pain of being unwanted hurts...Joichirou healed my hatred and he was the father I wanted to have. Guess can't have that forever.' he chuckled with glistening eyes.

'Well...take this as a lesson Asahi...you know what to look for in a life partner one day...and what not to do as a parent. That you'll be a better parent to your own child so they won't be hurt like you.' Hilda advised. 'You'll grow strong knowing that.'

'If I can do that, that is.' Asahi chuckled somberly. 'Talking to you made me feel better now...I'll find my own place in the world. Right now I got nowhere.'

'Well, home is where the heart is...go to the place where you're happiest at, and start over from there.' Hilda advised. 'That's what my godfather would say. You're not the only one with garbage for parents in this world.' she snorted as Asahi bid her goodbye and left. 'Yare yare...' she felt sorry for him but there was no such thing as forever.

Nothing lasts forever.

xxx

Upon graduation from Hogwarts with numerous stuff to do such as ensuring HE stays DEAD, she and her family lived permanently in Japan since. By then, she was filthy-rich from her Potions business that catered to women's vanities, and her patents about her Cooking Style. If Fleamont Potter quadrupled the family gold and then doubled it after selling his company for retirement, Hilda doubled that massive fortune, and converted it all to yen as she'll live in Japan permanently and happily. She built a traditional Japanese Estate outside of Tokyo to hide the fact she and her family are magicals, and took in Dobby and Winky as family servants. They wear kimonos at home but when in the city, casual/formal wear if occasion demands it so.

Sirius says he likes them more than Kreacher, his family's elf.

She worked part-time everywhere for experience in restaurants, a practice called Stagiare. She has never worked in a restaurant kitchen before. Other than that, she cooks for rich people and gets paid for it as a side business. She used this as training for her upcoming battle.

She was ready to face Joichirou in battle 8 months after graduating Hogwarts.

'The theme is...tai(sea bream)!' Senzaemon called out. 'Bring out the theme ingredient!' four men, a pair to each pushcart pushed out a large sea bream each!

'Wow!' Joichirou whistled, impressed at Tootsuki's resources as ever.

'How?! The tai I usually see are tiny but still expensive!' Hilda squeaked, eyes popping out at the large fish she cannot carry herself.

'These tai are way beyond season, but maturity gives more flavor and texture.' said Erina. 'Hard to catch so we had to settle with tiny ones as you put it, Hilda-nee.' she snorted as the judges for today, were Senzaemon, Erina and Soe.

'Your task is to make four dishes out of your ingredient!' Senzaemon told them.

'What a monster fish.' Remus gulped, 'That fish alone can feed eight people!'

'And it's used in a cooking match.' Sirius sweatdropped. 'Where will the rest go when they're done with it?'

'Beats me...to the pet cats?'

'The Nakiris have dobermans, not those scratchy li'l furballs!'

Joichirou and Hilda proceeded to hi-speed prepwork, removing the scales and innards...removed and hacked the bones and dumped said bones and fish heads onto a boiling pot of water.

'Er...?' Remus turned to Sirius for answers.

'They're making fish stock. Basically fish-flavored soup base by boiling those bones.' Sirius explained. 'No Japanese would ever begin cooking without making a base of any kind. The no-base cooking is what we westerners do. But Asians believe in cooking by bringing out the best flavors of all food and use up everything about the ingredient while we westerners...choose what parts we want and disregard the rest, then compensate by smothering with condiments and sauces done by millions of households with basic skill...when chefs know better NOT to do that or their career's axed.'

'Oh...'

They watched as the pair cooked. Then each presented four dishes.

Hilda's was mostly soup and steamed fish while Joichirou's was the saucy kinds.

Well...

'...it's a tie.' Senzaemon declared.

'A TIE?!' the rest of the family and servants squawked.

'The fish is at it's maximum freshness...and it's flavors brought out by supporting ingredients maxed out as well without overpowering the others and still making Tai the main star of the dishes.' said Erina.

'The knife skills that made the fish glisten like marble is also superb.' said Soe. 'All is handled with great care. We could taste the flavors that made Tai stand out even more...like the rider of a cavalry battle supported by teammates.'

'Your dishes are of high level, have no weakness and yet, neither stood the other up. It is why it is a tie.' said Senzaemon as the two chefs exchanged looks.

'Wow...'

'You grew up in four years, Hilda.' Joichirou grinned, patting her head. 'Your sole weakness back then was your turtle crap of a knife skill. You were so doggone slow back then!' he laughed jovially.

'Excuse you, how should I know about hi-speed cutting back then?!' Hilda sputtered out, embarrassed.

'At least now you know! Customers ain't waiting forever you know!' naturally, they packed up the leftover fish for later use at home. It's a waste to throw it away.

xxx

'Say Joe...' Hilda approached Joichirou after catching him leaving the mansion. 'Have you heard from Asahi lately?'

'Ahn? The kid doesn't own a phone and last I checked he's in NA...why?'

'Summer, 1995...I found him wandering about London.' said Hilda. 'For good reason, you had to come home then.' Joichirou's wide-eyed friendly expression shrunk a little. 'It hit him hard because you were the father he wished he had. Do you know what his mother's like?'

'...yeah. Who knows about the dad.' Joichirou sighed. 'Probably some useless bum, a typical runaway after getting his girl pregnant. Most men are like that these days. It's usually the kid who pays the consequences of an irresponsible pair. Out of all orphans, Asahi was a living cloud of gloom, unable to move on.' he said. 'I had to help as kids like him, if stewed in feelings long enough...they become the bad adult they hated which is ironic.' he said. 'Slowly but surely...he became happy again. I thought it's OK to leave him then.'

'Well, he'll grow up at some point. I told him to start over where he was happiest at and go from there.' said Hilda. 'Heh, I had it worse than he did. No support and a life of hell under garbage relatives until my friends and I got physical proof Sirius was framed for a crime he didn't do. I just started living, Asahi was luckier _he had a childhood_ at all.' she snorted. 'I'd feel sorry but he's in no place to mope.' she told him.

xxx

She built a restaurant in Tokyo. It was an elegant place, doing the decorating designs herself, designed uniforms and a supply source she made contracts with.

When it was nearly-done, she began recruiting for respective positions. For Waiters, Waitresses, Cashiers, Dishwashers and Kitchenhands, she recruits part-timing High Schoolers and some adults. Salary is of course, generous, she's stinking rich! She went by 300000 as lowest salary to Cashiers, Waiters and Waitresses, 330 to dishwashers, 350 to kitchenhands, 380 to Commis Chefs, Chef de Parties gets 430, and Sous Chefs get 480. She knows that Tootsuki Graduates will train in her place first before striking out on their own so her employees will obviously, not last long. So she informed them beforehand that before they leave, they are to give her a year to train their replacements, THEN they are allowed to go.

'Until the restaurant is finished building, master all these! Because when we officially open, you have no excuse in screwing up!' she would tell her kitchen brigade, giving them books to study at home, spelled to ensure they will not steal her hard work. 'By night, study those books. By day, put it to practice in this kitchen!'

'Er Chef, the stuff we use for practice...what will we do when we're done with it?'

Hilda grinned.

'You guys _eat what you made_. Motivation to do real good.' Hilda's grin made her kitchen staff shiver. 'Kitchenhands, it starts with you, OK?' she said cheerily with clapping her hands once. 'Study and train hard at home to practice here! I'll train our waiting staff in the meantime.' Other than basic food preparation, they also go around, cleaning as necessary.

Yup, no pressure there now...

'Chef, your books seem a little weird, it goes against what we learned in Tootsuki...'

'Ah that? I mastered many things...and I found that certain methods work best on certain ingredients.' Hilda said with a smile to a former graduate. 'So basically, through innovation and creativity, this restaurant will bring out everything an ingredient has. Deliciousness and Health Benefits.' she explained. 'I threw tradition and uniformity out the window, for the sake of diners. As Chefs, we constantly think and adapt to changes. If you are so stuck on the old ways or within a comfort zone, you'll never get better.'

Thus when her restaurant opened, Restaurant Eden is open for business. A restaurant that both serves good food and health-oriented made it popular among health-enthusiasts. The Menu was arranged in nine courses, based on what they were good for in the human body. And the portions were such that even if 'it looks small', you leave the restaurant quite satisfied and feeling better!

She was successful within the year that unaware, she got a check from many Critics and Gourmands.

It wasn't just taste, aroma, texture, appearances they were testing. But health benefit progress as well so they ate at her place for a month after a lab test and will see the aftermath, showing it was indeed, effective based on one's condition...even better, her menus change seasonally. Different tastes every season.

Her restaurant has two floors.

First floor was where tables for one, two and four were. As well as the kitchen and first floor comfort rooms. Second floor was for reservation only for big groups, but first floor diners can use the restrooms upstairs if downstairs was too full. Second floor also has an elevator for Waiting Staff Use Only to avoid accidents by stairs in hauling courses on the next floor.

And Eden is closed on weekends for general cleaning and resupplying. Bathrooms have bidet toilets per stall, vendo machine for pads for just 50 yen, and a supply of small paper cups and a version of Dentifricium she made that works for muggles. Cleans teeth instantly, severely loosens stuck food in teeth and weakens tartar and plaque that a brush of teeth later it'll all fall off. It also whitens teeth and cleanses palates as the mouthwash has a 'refreshing menthol taste' during gargling, and 'no aftertaste remaining' upon spitting out.

And garbage bins in the toilets are emptied upon the end of the day. Nothing much to throw anyway as all toilets have bidets. But the Waiting Staff finds interesting things once in a while...

So eating experience in Eden...it was a beautiful elegant place to be in that's perpetually squeaky clean, just the right temperature to dine in, has a 40 space parking lot behind it and roomy enough to move in as well as space just for motorcycles, but a toll fee of 1000 yen must be paid. Waiting Staff are pleasant to deal with and well-mannered and groomed as well as extremely accommodating. There's even substitute dishes incase of Food Allergy issues. The bathrooms makes for a comfortable place to end a dining experience with as well and leaving the place 'orally fresh somehow'.

It was stellar reviews from many Food Critics of Japan as well as Foreigners who heard of the place via newspapers and magazines.

This got the WGO curious by the time of Third Year.

They came to critique the food for a whole year and they got a lot to say about it.

Hilda was just surprised when she received accolades from them one day as she had no idea WHEN she was judged but she did get stars out of it...


End file.
